Camping Gone Awry
by BriKitt3
Summary: Danny and Steve are enjoying a camping trip with the Aloha Girls and Grace. What happens when Grace and Danny encounter an injured gunman and are forced to lead him through the jungle? Steve learns the lengths to which he will go to in order to save his partner and Grace. This is an alternate writing of what could have happened if roles had been reversed in 3x10.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

If Danny were being honest with himself, he may admit that he was enjoying this camping trip. Grace was currently stationed beside him as they gathered around the campfire. He watched as Steve began his tutorial on wildlife survival, which if he were being truthful, was both slightly unnerving and arousing. Danny wasn't sure what was wrong with himself. How could he possibly be having these feelings about his partner? He had never been with a guy before (Well, except that one brief make out in his junior year of college, but that didn't really count). He had loved Rachel fiercely, but their relationship had become one of co-parenting for Grace. There was no more romance or sparks to be felt.

As he listened to Steve talk about survival of the fittest, he let his eyes wander the expanse of his partner's body. Steve had yet again opted to wear cargo pants- probably in order to pack as many tools and weapons on himself as possible. His gray t-shirt was drawn taught across his broad chest. His tattoos peeked from beneath the short sleeves and Danny couldn't stop himself from imagining what it would be like to trace each tattoo as if he drew them on himself.

Steve's eyes caught Danny's as Steve was urged to wrap up his lesson to the girls. Steve thought he had done his best to describe to the girls survival and safety, but if the look on the camp leader's face behind Danny were any indication, he may have went a little overboard. Danny looked as though he ready to bolt from the campsite at any second. Steve wondered what had him edge when he should be relaxing with Grace. Steve noticed that Danny quickly adverted his eyes from Steve to Grace, allowing Steve to let his eyes freely roam over Danny. The Jersey native was sporting dark pants and a light sweater that protected him from the cool breeze that swept in after dark. Steve liked this look on him although he would never admit it to Danny. The change in attire somehow made Danny look more relaxed and comfortable, but Steve could tell by Danny's rigid posture that Danny's thoughts were running a marathon in his head.

Danny tried to distract himself from watching Steve by helping Grace roast a marshmallow. He was grateful when Rachel let him have the weekend with Grace to accompany her on the camping trip with the Aloha girls. Then, Grace had mentioned that they needed another chaperone to tag along. Usually, Danny would not have thought twice about the fact that his mind instantly thought of asking Steve to go. However, over the course of the past few months, he had recently opened his eyes to the possibility that his feelings for Steve were more than friendly. Danny didn't think there was any way that Steve could feel the same. He had seen the Navy Seal with the lovely lieutenant. He could feel Steve's eyes burning holes into the side of his head. Danny knew he had been acting a bit off lately when he was around Steve. He couldn't help it. It was like he were looking through a new set of eyes- every touch, word, and gesture was analyzed and overthought.

"Danno, the fire is dying." Grace's voice pulled Danny from his mind. He looked down at the embers floating up from the now small fire. "Why don't you go bring us back some logs, Gracie?" Danny asked his daughter and watched as her face lit up with determination to complete a new task. "But, stay right in this area. If you can't hear us anymore, then you have gone too far. Okay, sweetheart?" Grace nodded her head as she turned and skipped towards the trees. A small smile naturally formed on Danny's face as he saw her pigtails bounce with each hop until she disappeared into the wooded area. He couldn't understand what he did right in the world to deserve such a bright and perfect daughter. When his world became too dark, she was the beacon of light that always led him back to stability. Danny was certain that if anything ever happened to her, he would lose it. He didn't mean that figuratively, either. He would literally stop at nothing to destroy anyone who had hurt her until there was nothing left of his soul except a dark abyss of loneliness and insanity. He had come so close to this when his ex-partner had kidnapped Grace in an attempt at revenge on Danny. He was certain he had never felt rage like that. Every fiber of his being had told him to snap his ex-partner's neck for even laying a finger on his daughter. The only thing that had kept his head on straight that day was Steve's voice in his head telling him that Rick Peterson was the only person who knew where Grace was, and if he died, Grace could very well die also. He would never confess it to Steve, but he was certain the day would have ended with a bullet to Peterson's head and Danny in cuffs, or worse, had the voice of reason in his head not been Steve's.

Steve watched as Danny sent Grace off to gather more firewood. The small exchange between father and daughter made his heart ache as it always did when he was around Grace and Danny. Steve had never thought of himself as a family man. He was damaged- far too wounded to ever raise a family and open himself up to that kind of raw, vulnerable love. That still didn't stop him from wondering what it would be like to make breakfast for Danny and Grace in the mornings and tuck Grace in at night. He had never thought about that type of stuff with Catherine. They had a physical connection that spanned years of friendship, but it stopped at that. Steve knew he would never ask her to marry him just as he knew that she would never say yes. They were like gypsies, always on the move, searching for something they might never find.

Then he met Danny. The little haole had Steve's heart racing from the minute they met, literally. At gunpoint, Steve had seen firsthand Danny's strength, fierceness, and determination, both as a detective and a person. Without a second thought, Steve had made Danny his partner. When Steve had first seen Danny with Grace, it had shown Steve a freer and more vulnerable side of his partner. The first time Danny insisted that Grace call him Uncle Steve, he had been surprised at how much he longed to be more than that- both in Grace's eyes and in Danny's. There was a voice in his head though that conveniently sounded like one of his Navy training officers, that told him what he was feeling was wrong. Danny was straight. Hell, he had a daughter and an ex-wife. He was his partner in Five-O only, no matter how much Steve wished it could be more. So, Steve threw himself further into his relationship with Catherine. He would go to her for favors that he could easily take care of himself. He would pay her back with dates and nights spent in his bed. They both knew that it was nothing more than a game of bartering, but it still helped him to take his mind off of his feelings for Danny.

Danny picked methodically at the burnt marshmallow in front of him. Grace had been gone twelve minutes and counting, and he was three minutes away from going after her. Steve had taken up position on the log across from him and was showing an Aloha Girl how to sharpen a stick into a weapon with a hunting knife. Danny found himself rolling his eyes at how ridiculous Steve was around children. Danny counted until Grace had been gone for fifteen minutes before getting up and stepping towards Steve.

"I'm going to go make sure Grace doesn't need any help bringing back sticks," Danny said as he began walking towards the trees.

"Do you want me to come?" Steve asked while his eyes drifted to Danny's butt in the tighter than usual jeans.

"No, that's okay, Rambo. We will be back in a minute." With that, Danny stepped into the tree line and walked deeper into the area.

"Gracie?" Danny called, as his eyes adjusted to the darker setting in the woods. "Gracie, can you hear me? Where are you, monkey?" Danny stopped for a moment and listened for a reply.

"Danno! Over here!" Danny's heart sped up as his daughter's voice rang out into the night. He took off towards her voice as he called for her again. He finally made it to a small clearing where Grace was knelt in front of a man. Danny instantly reached down and pulled Grace behind him as he scanned the area for more people. Determining that they were alone, he took Grace's previous spot and knelt in from of the man.

"Thank god you are here!" The man exclaimed as Danny noticed the blood covering his pants.

"Sir, how did you get hurt? Are you here alone?" Danny questioned, as he reached into Grace's pack and pulled a bandana to tie above the guy's wound.

"I was doing a small hike and I suppose I got turned around. I ended up tripping on a branch and tumbled down a hill. I'm not too sure how my leg got hurt. It all happened so fast." The guy was sweating and Danny couldn't tell if it was from exertion or from lying.

"Okay, what's your name?" Danny asked as secured the makeshift tourniquet around the man's thigh.

"Ron," the man answered as his eyes flicked between Grace and Danny as if scanning for more people.

"Okay, Ron. You were hiking alone, right? So, where are your supplies? Did you not bring a pack with you?" Danny inquired and he instantly felt the man's body go rigid with tension.

Ron moved too fast for Danny to react as he pulled a gun from behind himself and swung it at Danny. Danny skull erupted in pain as Grace's scream rang out. Darkness tried to consume him, but he willed himself to stay conscious as he jumped up placing himself between Grace and Ron.

"Who are you?" Ron asked furiously as he pointed the gun at Danny. Danny could feel Grace's soft whimpers against his back as she clung to him.

"My name is Detective Danny Williams with Five-O. Now Ron, you are already looking at assault of an officer, do you really want to add murder to that as well?" Danny tried to reason with the man before him.

Ron's eyes widened at the revelation, and Danny could practically see the wheels spinning in the man's head.

"Detective, huh? So you should be very familiar with this area. Well, lucky for you, I lost something around here and you are going to help me find it. If you do that, then I will let you and the little girl go. Do you understand?" Ron stated.

Danny tried calculating a way to disarm the man, but one wrong move and he could risk hurting Grace. There was no way in hell he would let something happen to her. He would walk this man to hell and back if it meant keeping her safe.

"I will take you wherever you want to go, man. Just let my daughter go back to the campsite with her friends," Danny pleaded.

"Campsite? How many of you are there?" Ron demanded, scanning the area for more people.

"There are two adults and a group of little girls not far from here. Ron, they are no threat to you. Just let my daughter go back to them, and I will take you wherever you need to go," Danny tried one last time to persuade the man to let Grace go.

"You think I'm stupid?" Ron stepped closer to Danny with the barrel of the gun just inched from Danny's face. "Take me to the campsite, and then you and the pretty little girl are coming with me. If you try anything, the girl is the first one to bite a bullet," Ron stated without blinking. Danny's fists were balled tightly against his side, every nerve in his body wanting to kill the guy for even threatening his daughter. All he could do though was nod as Ron stepped back and pointed for Danny to lead the way.

Danny turned to Grace and leaned down, taking her tear stricken face between his hands.

"Monkey, I need you to lead the way to the campsite, okay? But you have to stay in front of me at all times, okay?" Gracie nodded as she turned and began walking back.

"Go," Ron stated as he pushed Danny with the barrel of the gun.

Steve sat on the log and scanned the tree line for the tenth time in ten minutes. Danny and Grace had yet to come back. He was about to go after them when he saw Grace pop out of the woods. He smiled, but it was short lived happiness as Danny walked out behind her with the right side of his face bloody. Steve was on his feet and moving towards them instantly. He stopped short when he saw a man come up behind Danny, pointing his gun in Steve's direction.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," the man warned. Steve made no more advances, but took the moment to look over Grace for any injuries. He was relieved to find none. Every inch of himself wanted to reach forward and grab her, but he didn't dare move. He could hear the cries of the Aloha Girls behind him as the scout leader huddled them together in an attempt to protect them.

"Now I want everyone to move to the shed over there," the gunman directed as he pushed Danny forward, gun still trained on Steve. Steve's eyes met Danny's and Danny gave him a small nod. Steve turned and began walking with the group to the campsite's supply shed. Once everyone was inside, Steve remained at the entrance, looking between the gunman, Grace, and his partner.

"Just let the girl stay with me," Steve pleaded.

"The detective and the girl come with me. Now, get inside before someone gets hurt," the man demanded as he trained the gun on Danny instead of Steve. Fear rippled through Steve's body at the sight of the gun just inches from his partner. He could see in Danny's eyes how little care he had for his own safety. The only person Danny was thinking of was Grace. For his partner, Steve tried once more to reason with the gunman.

"Please, let the girl stay. Detective Williams can lead you wherever you need to go, and he can do it much faster without having to lead his daughter as well," Steve urged hoping the man would see reason.

In one quick motion, Ron stepped back and pulled the trigger.

Steve raced forward as Danny fell to the ground and Grace screamed for her Danno. Danny moaned as he pulled his arm to his chest and pressed his arm to his shoulder in an attempt to stop the bleeding.

"You son of a bitch!" Steve yelled as he placed his hands over Danny's. They were instantly covered in blood.

"Now get in the shed!" Steve turned to see the gun pointed at Grace now. Danny latched onto Steve's hands and said, "Steve, please go. Don't let him hurt her." Danny's eyes pleaded with Steve, and Steve gathered himself up and walked into the shed. The last thing he saw before the door shut was Danny lifting himself off the ground and pulling Grace into his strong arms. Steve heard the lock slam into place and the shouts of the gunman for Danny and Grace to get moving. Steve vowed then and there that he would hunt down that son of a bitch and kill him. He just had to find a way out first.


	2. Chapter 2

Danny held tightly to Grace's hand as they walked through the jungle. It had been at least two hours since they had left the campsite, but Danny couldn't be sure without a watch. He had removed his sweater along the way and used it to apply pressure to his shoulder wound. It was a through and through gunshot wound, but that didn't mean it didn't hurt like a bitch. The blood loss was making him dizzy and his steps had slowed greatly.

"Pick up the pace, Williams," Ron demanded as the barrel of the gun bit into Danny's shoulder blade. "The sooner you get me what I need, the sooner you and your daughter can get back. The longer you take, the higher your chance of bleeding to death."

Danny knew he had to get his shoulder seen about soon, or he would risk infection. The sun was coming up and the rising heat was making the wound that much more painful. He knew the way they were headed and warned Ron that the bridge was out. Ron believed Danny was stalling and insisted that they continue their current path.

When they reached the clearing that led to the bridge, Danny pulled Grace closer as Ron shouted obscenities.

"What in the hell is this?!" Ron demanded as the gun began to shake in his hand.

"I told you the bridge was out, Ron. We can backtrack and take a different route to the area you are looking for," Danny suggested while raising his hands in front of himself to show Ron that he was no threat to him. In any other situation, he probably would have charged at Ron, but with Gracie by his side, he knew he couldn't take the chance.

Ron stepped forward waving the gun between Danny and Grace. Danny moved to stand in front of Grace as her small hands grasped the back of his shirt.

"You are wasting my time!" Ron yelled. Danny had a split second to process Ron's movement as he shuffled the gun to his other hand and his right fist connected with Danny's jaw. Another blow landed to his stomach and he doubled over in pain. Ron quickly reached out and grabbed Grace, pulling her against him.

Danny's blurred vision began to clear as he saw Grace in Ron's arms with the gun just inches from her head. Danny felt like a fire had been set to his blood- coursing through his veins, red-hot, and setting his nerves on-end. He had felt this way before- when Grace and Rachel had been carjacked, when Rick had kidnapped Grace, and now when a gunman wanted something that Danny didn't even know how to find.

"Ron, get your hands off of my daughter, or I swear to God…" Danny let the threat trail off as Grace's big brown eyes met his. Silent tears were cascading down her cheeks as she watched blood trail down her Danno's face.

"You'll do what, Detective? I would keep my empty threats to myself if I were you. Otherwise, your daughter's pretty little pig tails might get a little bloody," Ron chuckled as he caressed Grace's hair with the barrel of the gun.

Danny was on his feet before he knew it, lunging at Ron. There was a small part of him- the detective side- that warned him it was a bad idea. Then there was the other side- Danno, he was named- who saw a man with his fingers trailing his daughter's neck and a gun to her head. Danny gave in to the rage, throwing all reasoning out the window.

Danny grabbed Ron's hand that held the gun and twisted, pointing the weapon towards the sky. A shot rang out as Danny threw Ron to the ground. The gun slid across the leaves a few feet from the men. Ron tried pushing at Danny, but failed as Danny's hands wrapped around his neck. Danny stared into the eyes of a sociopath as he tightened his grip on Ron's throat. The rage in him blinded him from seeing Ron's movements as Ron reached beneath him and pulled something from his back pocket. The glint of silver caught Danny's eye just as it slashed out and made contact with his left arm. The knife moved up and against his throat as he cried out in pain, causing the blade to make a shallow cut across his Adam's apple. Danny could hear Grace's cries behind him as Ron pushed himself up, forcing Danny into a standing position.

"That wasn't a very smart move, Detective," Ron stated through gritted teeth as he reached down and pick up the discarded gun. Danny took the momentary distraction to pull Grace behind him, using his body as a shield for whatever Ron planned to do. His shoulder was throbbing and his left arm was burning from the cut. Still, it was nothing compared to the pain he felt when he thought of Ron hurting Grace.

Ron took in the picture before him of a father trying furiously to protect his daughter. Love was a funny thing. It made people do stupid things, and it gave people like Ron leverage and that is exactly what he had with the detective and his daughter.

"Now, we are going to turn around and follow the trail through the woods and around the bridge. If you try anything funny again, I will decorate these woods with her blood," Ron threatened, "Do we have an understanding, Detective?"

"Yes," Danny swore as he grabbed Grace's shaking hand and began walking again.

The door to the shed swung open as Lucy stepped inside covered in dirt. They had used tent stakes to dig underneath the floorboards. Steve had sent a little girl named Lucy through the tunneled hole and out to the other side. Cheers erupted within the shed as sunlight poured inside. The scout leader ushered the girls out, turning once to nod a thanks to Steve. He followed them out, and began scanning the area for Danny and Grace. He knew there was no way that they were still there, but that knowledge didn't stop his heart from dropping into his stomach when he didn't see them.

Steve saw the crushed phones lying on the ground and the hood of the Camaro up. He heard one of the girls talking about fixing a part of a phone, but he didn't quite understand what she was saying. He nodded though as she began working on one of the cells.

During the time it took the small child to get the phone working, Steve had congregated with the peppy scout leader about where she believed Ron, Danny, and Grace may be headed.

"There is a clearing about five miles up from here. The bridge would cut it down to three miles, but it's out from a storm a few weeks back. If he is headed there, then they will have to take the trail around the bridge to get to the clearing," Madeline, the leader, informed Steve.

"What makes you think he is headed there?" Steve asked, unsure of her certainty.

"Well, he didn't have a pack or proper shoes, so he wasn't hiking. The leg injury didn't look like a shot wound or a knife wound. It was most likely from a fall. That would mean that he was on a helicopter or a plane of some sort. If a plane were going down and you had to bail, when would you jump?" Madeline asked.

"At the clearest spot for the safest landing," Steve answered as the pieces fell into place. Madeline nodded enthusiastically, proud to have gotten one step further in locating Danny and Grace.

At that point, the little girl approached Steve with the phone.

"Is this going to work, sweetie?" He inquired as she handed him the cell. She nodded as he punched in Chin's number and held his breath as the call connected.

"Kelly," Came the smooth voice of his teammate.

"Chin, it's Steve," He stated hoping that Chin could hear him.

"Hey, boss. How's camping?" Chin asked with a relaxed tone.

"Not good, Chin. I need you and Kono to put together a team and find out anything you can on a chopper or plane that would have recently passed through here. Get a list of anyone on board. There is a gunman here in search of something, and he has Danny and Grace," Steve said sullenly.

"What? Are they okay? Is anyone hurt?" The ease in Chin's voice was gone now, replaced with anxiety and alert.

"Everyone here is okay, but Danny has a head wound and a gunshot wound to the right shoulder. Grace was fine when I last saw her, but that was at least two hours ago," Steve reported and his throat began to tighten at the thought of losing Grace or Danny.

"Okay, Steve. Should I get a chopper in the air to your location?"

"No, no chopper. If the gunman hears any sort of rescue he is going to know that we got out. Our biggest advantage right now is that I can go in after them without him expecting me," Steve told Chin as he took inventory of the weapons he had on him. He had left his gun at home for obvious reasons, but had packed two hunting knives, a bandana, a small roll of electrical tape, and a few gauze in case anyone were to get injured. It wasn't much to work with, but it would have to do.

"Steve, are you sure going in by yourself is a good idea? Maybe you should wait until our team arrives," Chin suggested but Steve had already decided. Chin knew there was no changing his mind.

"Chin, my partner and his little girl are out there right now with a crazed man holding a gun. I will not sit idly by while they could be getting hurt. Madeline will stay here with the Aloha Girls and when you get here she can instruct you on the best route to take to where I am going. We believe that he is headed to a clearing five miles north of here. Keep an officer connected to this phone until help arrives," Steve instructed and with that he turned and began walking to the tree line. Madeline gave him a nod of approval as she turned and began talking to Chin on the phone.

Steve walked for a few minutes and let his thoughts wander to Danny. His partner of almost three years was somehow always on his mind. Steve tried his best to keep the thoughts as platonic as possible, but in the end, his desires won out. He could picture Danny coming up beside him, cupping his shoulders and letting his hands linger for a comfortably intimate moment. These moments had become regular occurrences between the partners, and Steve wondered if Danny saw it as intimate or just a gesture between friends. He tried endlessly to read Danny, but the man never showed wether he wanted more or not. Steve wanted nothing more than to pull Danny and Grace safely into his arms and take them home.

His thoughts were interrupted as a gunshot echoed from deep within the jungle.


	3. Chapter 3

Steve's feet were moving quickly as the gunshot reverberated off the trees around him. He knew by how faint the noise was that he was not very close to it. Images of Danny or Grace lying on the ground bleeding out caused nausea to roll through his body. Then, there was the possibility that Danny had overpowered Ron and the shot was Danny taking Ron out. That thought didn't sit well with Steve though. He knew that Danny would never do anything to put Grace in danger, therefore if Danny attacked Ron, it would have been a product of blinding rage. That could mean that Grace was hurt, or worse.

Steve blinked back the tears that threatened to fall from his eyes at the thought of losing Grace. The little girl had become such a force of good in his life, and he knew that it was the same way for Danny. He refused to think of a world where Grace Williams wasn't alive. He didn't think he could live in that world, and he knew there was no way in hell that Danny would. He had to find them, and soon.

Danny didn't need to look in a mirror to know that he probably looked liked Death walking on Earth. The troubled expression on Grace's face was indication enough. He could feel a fever setting in as chills ravaged his body and sweat cascaded down his face. Danny would be in serious trouble if he didn't get medical attention soon. He groaned as they stepped down a small slope and into an open clearing.

"It should be around here somewhere," Ron stated as his eyes canvassed the surrounding area.

"What are we looking for Ron?" Danny croaked through a hoarse voice. They had been walking for at least another two hours and what little water Grace had in her pack, Danny had refused to take. There was no way that he was going to let his daughter die of dehydration if he could help it.

"There should be a backpack somewhere in this area," Ron revealed. "The sooner you find it, the sooner you and your daughter can head back to campsite," He said.

"Tell me, Ron," Danny began, "How do you plan on getting out of here? The cars at the campsite aren't working, you made sure of that yourself. You obviously don't know the area very well, so what is your plan?"

"I have a partner," Ron leisurely declared.

Danny blinked and tightened his hold on Grace's hand. He began scanning the area for signs of another person.

"He should be coming soon. I was supposed to be at our rendezvous point hours ago. If he wants what's in the pack, then he will be coming for me," Ron explained as his eyes found a black backpack dangling from a branch above them.

"There!" He exclaimed, clapping his hands together and turning to Danny and Grace with a mischievous smile. Danny was beginning to wonder if Ron was getting an infection as well. The makeshift cane wasn't giving him much aid, and his limp had become progressively worse.

Danny looked up at the dead branches and wondered just how in the hell Ron planned on getting the bag down.

"Ron, those branches are barely hanging on to that tree. It won't hold our weight."

"It may not hold your weight or mine, Detective, but it might just hold your daughter's," Ron pointed at Grace who looked mortified at the thought of climbing the tree. "Monkey, isn't it? Well, monkey, time to show us some of your tree climbing skills," He said, stepping towards Grace.

Danny tensed at his nickname for Grace coming out of Ron's mouth. Grace flushed herself against Danny's side as Ron approached them. The gun was still in his hand, and it was conveniently pointed at Danny's chest.

"If you help me out, pretty girl, your Danno here doesn't get a bullet to the chest. Does that sound like a fair deal?" Ron bargained, and Danny wanted nothing more than to turn the gun around and put a round of bullets into Ron for scaring Grace.

Ron retreated back a few steps as Danny knelt in front of Grace, taking her hands into his own.

"Danno, I'm scared," His little girl confessed as tears fell down her soft cheeks. Danny swiped them away and attempted to soothe her fears.

"Don't they have some type of tree climbing badge in the Aloha Girls, huh? We are going to get you all the badges in the world for this, okay? You, my little monkey, are going to be the talk of the group when we get back! Isn't that why you all are apart of the Aloha Girls- to get the fancy little badges and be kick-ass awesome?" Danny asked as a smile swept across his daughter's face.

"I just wanted to be like you, Danno," She whispered and Danny felt his heart melt.

"Me? What's so cool about me? When I grow up, I want to be like you," Danny emphasized by poking Grace softly in the chest.

"You're brave, Danno. You can do anything. I just wanted to be brave like you," She confessed, and it caused a lump to form in Danny's throat.

"Well, you know what does scare me?" Grace shook her head. "That big tree scares me," He said while pointing at the dead branches. "So I need you to be really brave and climb up there. Can you do that for me, monkey?" Danny persuaded as Grace began to nod her head.

"Good girl," Danno said as he leaned in as if he were about to embrace his daughter. He brought his face close to her ear and whispered, "When you get the backpack, I want you to get down from the tree as quickly as possible. Put the pack on, and when I tell you to, I want you to run as fast as you can back up the trail. Do you remember the small alcove we passes on the way here?" Danny watched as Grace nodded. "Good. I want you to go to that alcove and bury the backpack and hide until I come find you, okay?" Grace nodded as Danny pressed his lips to her cheek and stood up.

"Hurry up," Ron urged impatiently, having allowed the father and daughter to have their small moment, but his patience was running thin.

"Okay, okay," Danny said as he ushered Grace to the base of the tree. He laced his fingers together and bent down, making a step to give her a boost up. His daughter's eyes locked on his, and he nodded with a smile in an attempt to reassure her that he had a plan.

In one quick push, Grace was making her way up the tree and to the outer branch that held the backpack. Danny slowly moved back closer to Ron, who was so focused on Grace and the bag that he had trained the gun on the ground instead of on Danny.

Danny watched as Grace reached out and tugged the backpack off of the branch. She then secured it across her chest.

"Throw the bag down, girl!" Ron demanded as Grace began moving down the tree. Danny took one final step towards Ron, closing the gap between them. Grace's feet landed on the ground as Ron moved to advance towards her. Danny kicked out at Ron's injured leg with lethal force. Ron cried out as he fell to the ground, dropping his weapon in the process.

"Now, Grace! Go!" Danny yelled as he grabbed the gun up and trained it on Ron. Grace took off at an impressive speed, leaving behind the shouts of Ron as Danny stepped closer to him.

"Who is your partner?" Danny demanded with the gun trained on Ron.

"I'm going to kill you and that little bitch," Ron spat. Danny closed in on him, swinging the gun to connect with Ron's temple.

"Wrong answer," Danny warned. "Who is your partner?" He inquired once more.

Ron remained silent as Danny placed his finger on the trigger.

"One last time, Ron. Who are you working with, and where are they?" Danny watched as Ron's expression changed from fear to something else- recognition, perhaps.

"I'm right here," Came a deep voice behind Danny as he felt the all too familiar feel of a gun being pressed into the base of his skull. He closed his eyes as he brought his hands up in a sign of defeat. Ron quickly gathered himself up off the ground and snatched the gun from Danny's hand.

"What the hell, Wilson? What took you so long?" Ron scolded. Wilson, Danny thought, committing the name to memory.

"What took so long? How about having to figure out what path your little plane took before it disappeared from the sky, or how about having to hike through the damn jungle to find your dumbass?" Wilson shook with anger while continuing to hold the gun against Danny. Ron seemed to go from menacing to frightened as Wilson spoke, and Danny could tell that Wilson was the greater of the two threats.

"Look, Wilson. A little girl just ran from here not too long ago. She has the diamonds. Now, this man knows where she went, and he can lead us to her." Danny tensed even more as Ron revealed to Wilson that his daughter was out there somewhere. Diamonds, Danny thought, that's what all of this is about.

"Alright," Wilson said as he shoved Danny to the ground. "Where did you send the girl?"

Danny laughed at the thought that they truly believed he would ever tell them where Grace was.

"Go ahead, shoot me. I will never tell you where she is," He stated decisively.

"Is that so?" Wilson asked as he pulled a rope from the pack on his back.

"Damn right," Danny answered without any doubt. He would take whatever these bastards did to him if it meant keeping Grace safe.

"Get up," Wilson demanded, pulling Danny up and pushing him towards a tree. Danny's back slammed into the bark as Wilson and Ron pulled the rope around Danny and secured it to the tree. Danny vowed to himself that no matter what they did, he would not scream.

"Now, where is the girl?" Wilson asked, stepping into Danny's view.

"Far away from here," Danny smirked. Wilson's fist connected with his already bruised jaw. Danny spit blood onto the ground and grinned at Wilson and Ron.

"Is that all you've got?" He antagonized, knowing that the longer they spent with him, the longer Grace had to find safety. He knew Steve would be looking for them, and he hoped that Steve would find Grace before it got dark.

Steve. It was now as Wilson landed two blows to Danny's stomach that he regretted never being honest with Steve about his feelings. Even if Steve didn't feel the same, at least Danny would have been truthful with himself and Steve.

Another blow landed on Danny's face and black spots danced in his vision.

"You know," Danny began speaking to Ron. "I have the number of a great physical therapist. It looks like you'll be needing one for that leg. You know, after you get out of prison for child endangerment, kidnapping, and assaulting an officer to name a few."

Ron lashed out with his makeshift cane, connecting with Danny's bad knee with a sickening crunch. Danny had to grind his teeth together to suppress the scream of pain.

"I'll never tell you where she is," Danny promised as one last hit assaulted Danny before darkness consumed him.

"How did some little girl run off with our diamonds anyways, Ron?" Wilson's voice floated into Danny's ears as he slowly returned to consciousness. He wasn't sure how long he had been out, but it was long enough for his body to be sore from the position he was in. Wilson was glaring at Ron. Apparently, they had decided to argue while they waited for Danny to return to the land of the living.

"I hurt my leg when I parachuted from the plane, man. I couldn't climb the tree to get the backpack. She was my only option," Ron explained.

Danny involuntarily groaned as he tried to turn his head to the side.

Wilson moved his gaze to Danny, realizing that he was awake.

Wilson smirked, turning back to Ron and spoke, "Well, I guess I don't need you then." The loud shot rang through Danny's ears as he watched Ron fall to the ground in a bloodied heap.

"Now," Wilson spoke as he stepped in front of Danny, "Take me to the diamonds or the next bullet goes through your head."

Steve felt like he had been walking for hours. In all honesty, he probably had. He had been tracking the trail of footsteps but still no sign of Grace or Danny. He only had a couple more hours of daylight, and he knew Danny's injuries would become fatal if they became infected.

By now, Chin and Kono should have made it to the campsite and gotten the Aloha Girls home safely. They would be at least an hour or two behind him in the search.

Steve slowed as he noticed a small set of footprints that had seemed to be heading back to the campsite but veered off the trail to the right. He quietly stepped off of the trail and followed the steps to a small alcove of branches and moss.

"Gracie?" He whispered as he silently listened for a response.

"Uncle Steve?" Replied a frightened voice, and Steve let out a breath he didn't know he had been holding.

"Gracie, you can come out now. You're safe," He coaxed her. The next thing he knew, small hands were wrapped around his neck as he lifted his partner's daughter into his arms.

"Gracie, are you hurt?" Steve asked as he pulled back far enough to get a good look at the little girl. Grace shook her head as Steve's eyes scanned over her. Her hands were filthy with dirt as were her clothes.

"Where did all of this dirt come from?" He questioned, and Grace looked down at her own hands.

"Danno told me to bury the backpack the man wanted until he could come and find me," She informed Steve. Steve knew that Danny and Grace were as good as dead as soon as the man got what he was looking for. Danny must have realized this as well and created a diversion to give Grace a chance to escape.

Steve set Grace down and took her small face into his hands. When it came to looks, she was a reflection of Rachel, but Steve knew that her spunk and wits came from Danny.

"Okay, sweetheart. Where is Danno?" He asked, his voice laced with fear of her answer.

"He's with the bad man," Grace cried, wrapping her arms around Steve once more.

For the second time that day, Steve's heart stopped as a gunshot rang out in the jungle.


	4. Chapter 4

Grace's body went rigid in Steve's arms as the shot echoed around them. Steve gently placed his hand over her mouth to silence her cries as the eerily silent calm settled over the jungle. Fear rippled through his body at the possibility that Danny was on the receiving end of that shot. He willed himself to stay calm as he stared into Grace's sad eyes.

"Gracie, I know you are scared. I know that you want to find your Danno just as much as I do, but we have to stay very quiet so the bad men don't find us first, okay?" Steve reasoned with Grace, and he felt her screams for Danny dissipating against his hand. She nodded with bouncing pigtails, covered in dirt.

Steve removed his hand from her mouth as he began speaking again, "Okay, Gracie. Do you remember where you came from and how long it took you to get here?"

"We were in a big area that was surrounded by trees, but it didn't have any trees in it. It was a lot like our campsite except further out, and it didn't have any tents," Grace recounted.

"Okay, that's good, Gracie. How long did it take you to get here from there?"

"I'm not sure. I ran the whole time, and I've been here for a little while before you came," Grace whispered, weary of being discovered.

"Okay. Is there anything you can tell me about the man that took you?" Steve inquired, hoping for any information that might lead him to his partner.

"His name was Ron, or at least that's what Danno called him. He has a hurt leg, and he made Danno lead him to this place where we found the backpack. Danno told me that once I got the backpack out of the tree that I needed to run here and bury the bag until he could come find me." Steve watched as Grace struggled to stay composed while speaking of her father.

"That is very helpful, Gracie. Thank you," Steve stated as he asked her one last question, "Can you tell me if your dad was hurt?"

Grace nodded as she relayed Danny's condition, "His shoulder was bleeding from where he was shot. His head was bleeding and the right side of his mouth was really bruised." Steve bristled as Grace continued, "He tried keeping the bad man away from me when the man cut his arm and made Danno's throat bleed a little."

Anger surged through Steve as the image of Danny with a knife to his throat invaded his mind.

"Thank you, sweetheart. You did really good," Steve commended the brave girl in front of him.

"Why don't you show me where that bag is, and we can go find Danno, okay?"

Steve had no way of knowing if Danny was still alive or not, but he knew that without the backpack, he had no bargaining chip for his partner's life.

Danny struggled to stand as Wilson cut the rope that had confined Danny to the tree. The jungled spun as he tried to upright himself. He could feel the fever getting worse, and the blood loss that he had endured in the past few hours wasn't helping the matter.

Wilson stood in front of Danny's teetering stature with his gun level with Danny's head. Ron's body lay still just feet away with eyes open, frozen in a state of shock.

"You know, Detective, Ron and I had a nice chat earlier while you were taking a little nap," Wilson began, still holding his gun steady.

"I know that the little girl who has my diamonds just so happens to be your daughter," Wilson smirked as Danny stiffened at the mention of Grace.

"I also know that you wouldn't have sent her back to the campsite, which Ron also filled me in on, because that would be the first place we would look. Now, I know you told her where to go, and if you don't lead me to her and my diamonds, I will just shoot you here and go find her myself. I will search all night if I have to, but be warned Detective, if I find her without your help, I will be merciless," Wilson stated. He moved in closer to Danny, who looked as if he might explode with anger.

"Now, you can lead me to her, and when we find her I will let you and your daughter go. If not, well you know the alternative," He reminded Danny, stepping closer so the barrel of the gun rested on Danny's forehead.

Danny carefully weighed his options. He could try to take Wilson out here, but if he failed, Wilson could very well find Grace before Five-O. He couldn't take that chance. He had to lead Wilson in the opposite direction for as long as possible in order to buy time for Five-O to locate Grace. He knew he was as good as dead if Wilson found out that he was playing him, but he would gladly trade his life for Grace's.

"Fine. I will take you to the diamonds, but I want your word that you won't hurt my little girl," Danny pleaded, hoping that he sounded convincing.

"As soon as I get my diamonds, you and your daughter are free to go," Wilson promised, though Danny knew there was no way Wilson would ever let them out of the jungle alive.

Danny nodded once and stepped forward; A dead man walking.

Steve felt the first drop of rain hit as Grace pulled the bag from the spot in which she had hidden it. Through the trees he could see the dark clouds forming, taking what little sunlight they had. His mind instantly went to Danny, lying in the jungle with a bullet to the head while the fierce rain washed the blood away. These were the images that invaded his mind at night, keeping him awake.

The first time he had a nightmare like that was after Danny was poisoned. Steve had fallen asleep that night trying to decipher why he was so bothered with the idea of Danny and Rachel getting back together. Hours later, he awoke with the image of his partner collapsing, blood spilling from his mouth as his body succumbed to the poison.

After that, he had dreams of Danny dying at least once a week. He watched his partner get stabbed, shot, drown, burn, bleed out from a car crash, and multiple other heart wrenching scenarios. In each dream, Steve was always helpless. No matter what he did, the outcome remained the same; Danny always died. That wasn't the only constant, though. Steve would always get to his partner just in time to hear him utter his last word; Grace. That was always the last thing he heard before he bolted up in bed in a cold sweat. He refused to let one of those dreams become a reality.

Steve shook the images from his mind as he knelt down and opened the backpack that Grace laid at his feet. He slowly opened the bag, uncertain of what he was going to find inside. He reached inside apprehensively and pulled out a small black case. Steve opened the box to find a collection of diamonds catching the small drops of rain. He shook his head as he closed the box and put it back in the backpack. Greed made people do absurd things.

Steve wiped the rain drops off of his forehead as he considered what to do next. He wanted more than anything to go after Danny, but he knew that Danny would kill him if something happened to Grace. He knew Danny would want him to get Grace back to Chin and Kono before going after him. If he took Grace with him, there was a chance that she could get hurt.

"Okay, Grace. We are going to head back towards the campsite and meet Uncle Chin and Auntie Kono along the way. Then, I am going to go get Danno for you so you two can makes some s'mores tonight. How does that sound?" Steve tried to sound as relaxed and sure as possible, but he knew it did little to put Grace at ease.

"Will you make s'mores with us, Uncle Steve?" Grace asked, and Steve felt as if someone had squeezed his heart.

"I would love nothing more," Steve admitted.

'Hold on, Danny. Just a little longer.' Steve thought to himself as he scooped Grace into his arms and began walking back towards the campsite.


	5. Chapter 5

Steve had been carrying Grace for about half an hour before he heard the first sounds of Chin and Kono. Steve's button down shirt had been taken off and used to shield Grace's face from the rain. He was left in his grey t-shirt and cargo pants that were steadily becoming soaked.

"Boss!" Kono yelled as she caught sight of Steve and Grace headed towards the group of officers. She immediately surged forward, plucking Grace from Steve's arms and checking her for any injuries. Chin nodded once to Kono as she began conversing with an officer on the quickest route to get Grace back to the campsite for medical attention.

Steve felt bare without Grace's weight in his arms. With her, he had something to focus on, a way to keep his mind off Danny as much as possible. He couldn't think about his partner too much without nearing an emotional breakdown.

Chin scanned the area for any sign of Danny, and his heart sank when he found none. He could see in Steve's eyes that the situation was not good.

"Where's Danny?" Chin almost didn't want to ask, but he knew that he had to.

"I… uh…," Steve stammered as he tried to keep his composure in front of his teammate.

"I don't know," He admitted. "I heard two gunshots while out here, a little while apart from each other. I haven't seen Danny, but I found Grace about an hour ago hidden in an alcove not too far from here."

"Why was she separated from Danny?" Chin inquired, knowing that Danny would never leave Grace alone if it wasn't a last resort.

"From what I gather, the guy, Ron, made Grace climb a tree to retrieve a backpack full of diamonds," Steve stated. He noticed Chin's eyes go wide at the mention of diamonds in the jungle. Steve scanned the area to ensure that no one could overhear their conversation.

"You can't mention it to anyone yet, Chin. Tell Kono that she is the only one to talk to Grace until I have Danny back. These diamonds might be our only chance of keeping him alive," Steve told Chin, desperately seeking Chin's secrecy.

"Okay, boss. So what's the plan?" Chin asked, confirming that his loyalty was to his ohana.

Steve look around, taking inventory of the few people that were gathered in the area. Chin and Kono had brought four officers with them who were currently awaiting orders.

"I want Kono and two officers to head back with Grace. Get Kono to get to HQ and contact Rachel and Stan. I want them all to stay at HQ until this is over. I want a sketch artist to meet with Grace and compare the description that the scout leader gave you earlier. Also, cross reference the name Ron with any of the plane's and chopper's employees that were flying over this area," Steve delegated, and Chin nodded, turning to tell Kono the plan.

A few minutes later, Steve watched as Kono carried Grace in her arms and began walking back towards the campsite with two officers. Grace spotted Steve over Kono's shoulder and sent him a sweet smile and small wave. Steve felt his heart constrict as the distance grew greater between himself and his partner's daughter.

He forced himself to take a deep breath and turn to Chin and the remaining two officers. Chin stepped forward, passing Steve his own gun.

"Thought you might be needing this," Chin said, and Steve nodded his gratitude.

"Okay guys. As far as I know, we have one armed gunman and one detective as a hostage. My partner is wounded at least with one gunshot wound to the right shoulder and minor head injuries. Two other gunshots have sounded since he was last seen, but we have no way of knowing who was on the receiving end." Steve watched as the two officers and Chin nodded before he continued, "We are going to follow this trail up to a clearing that Grace came from. This was the last place that we know Danny was at. With any luck, they will still be there. If they are, we will try to negotiate with the man known as Ron to let my partner go. However, if you get the shot, take it," Steve demanded, and everyone nodded with determination to catch this bastard.

Danny knew that they had been walking for a while now. How long, he wasn't sure. He knew that the route he was taking Wilson would eventually come to a cliff at the edge of the jungle. It was the furthest that he could lead him away from Grace. The rain was making the walking harder as he slipped and stumbled on muddy rocks every few steps.

"How much further?" Wilson demanded with annoyance.

"Why? You got somewhere better to be, Wilson? For your information, I know plenty of women and men who would gladly trade spots with you to get alone time with me, in the jungle," Danny antagonized. If Steve were here, he would tell him to stop talking and not get himself killed. However, Danny knew he was a dead man, and he was going to stay true to himself until the very end.

"Keep moving." Wilson pushed him forward as Danny had slowed to a shuffle. He was exhausted to say the least. He shoulder had stopped bleeding for the most part, but if the amount of blood on his arm, shirt, and face were any indication, then he had lost a worrisome amount.

"I know a guy, a Navy Seal to be exact, who would probably get his thrills trudging through the jungle with the likes of you. I mean this," Danny swung his arms around the expanse of the jungle, "Is a walk in the park for him."

Of course Danny would be thinking about Steve when he was so close to death. 'It must be the fever,' Danny thought to himself.

Danny cried out as Wilson suddenly grabbed his right shoulder and spun him around. The barrel of the gun was immediately against his forehead.

"We have been walking for over an hour. Where are my diamonds?" Wilson demanded, and Danny could feel the gun shaking with fury against his skull. He knew his time was running out, but he just had to get Wilson to follow him a little bit longer.

"There is a small alcove to the right of the jungle just before the cliffs up ahead. My daughter and I hike up here often to look out off of the cliffs. We discovered the cove when it started raining once." Danny had his hands up in mock surrender as he silently prayed that he sounded believable. "But if you shoot me here, you won't be able to find it. It's too well hidden," Danny warned Wilson as he practically saw the thought running through Wilson's head.

"Fine, but if you are playing me, I will put a bullet in your head. Then I'll find your daughter and do the same to her," Wilson promised. Danny might have swung at him then and there if it weren't for the fact that there were two Wilsons now, and Danny wasn't sure which one was real. The steadily rising fever was taking its toll on him, and he wasn't sure how much longer he could continue.

'Just a little bit further,' Danny thought to himself. 'And then this will all be over.'

Danny unsteadily began walking again, followed by Wilson. The darkening sky was making it harder to see the ground causing Danny to stumble every few steps. The rain was coming down with fierce determination now.

Too soon, they reached the cliffs that overlooked the rough waters. Danny could practically smell Wilson's impatience and anger as they walked to the edge.

"Where is the cove, Detective?" Wilson urged.

'This is it,' Danny thought.

"There is no cove," He smirked and found himself laughing deliriously as the fever ravaged his mind. Wilson swung the gun in a backhanded motion, connecting with Danny's left cheekbone. The skin split instantly as Danny continued laughing.

"Where are my diamonds?!" Wilson bellowed, leveling the gun with Danny's head.

"I told you," Danny began as he stepped closer to Wilson, allowing the cold metal to press against his hot forehead. "I will never tell you where she is." Danny knew he wasn't making it out of this jungle, and there was no way he was letting Wilson out either.

Danny heard the familiar click of a bullet being moved into the firing chamber, but before Wilson could pull the trigger, Danny reached and grabbed Wilson's shirt. With his last remaining strength, Danny dove off of the cliff, taking Wilson with him. Wilson's screams filled the air as Danny closed his eyes and welcomed the rush of air that met them.


	6. Chapter 6

It hadn't taken them long to make their way to the clearing. Steve raised his gun on alert, searching the area for the gunman and Danny.

"Over here!" Steve quickly moved towards Chin where he was knelt in front of something. Steve could see a hand in the dirt, and nausea rolled through his body at the thought of Danny. He stilled, unable to force his feet any further. What would he do if it was Danny? He couldn't go back to HQ and tell Grace that her Danno was gone. He wouldn't be able to go back to Five-O without his partner.

His breathing became rapid, and his hands began to shake. Chin turned towards him, noticing his boss's apprehension.

"It's not Danny, boss," Chin stated, and Steve felt relief wash over him. He forced his feet towards the body and was baffled at the sight of Ron with a bullet through his head. It was possible that Danny had overpowered Ron, but then where was Danny? They would have run into him on the trail if he had gotten away. He would have immediately went to Grace.

"We've got blood over here!" Steve heard one of the officers shout. He moved quickly to the tree where a rope lay at its base. There was a small pool of blood mixing with the muddy dirt, and the rope was spotted with blood as well. Two sets of footprints went from the tree to the line of trees opposite of the way they came.

"This doesn't make any sense," Chin began. "It looks like two people left from here, but Danny should be the only person out there."

Steve instantly supplied the only logical explanation, "Ron wasn't working alone."

Chin nodded as he scanned the area and asked the question that they were all thinking.

"So where the hell is Danny?"

Danny was half expecting to pass out or fall into a deep peaceful sleep that he would never wake from, but the darkness never came. From the second that he pulled Wilson off the cliff, he was vividly aware. Time slowed as he let go of Wilson's shirt, and he saw the gun drop to the shore beneath them. Wilson became a blur as the rain beat against Danny's face.

Danny's body slammed into a large rock that jutted from the cliff, and he heard the snap of bone in his right arm as his head slammed into the boulder. Dizziness washed over him, and he thought that this might be the end. Then, the rock gave way under Danny's weight and dropped him to the rocky shore below.

The air left his lungs on impact, and Danny was sure that this was it. The pain was far too intense for one man alone to survive. He closed his eyes and willed the pain to stop, for the end to come.

As the rain beat against Danny's battered body, the darkness never came. Whatever cruel game fate was playing, it wasn't finished with him yet.

Steve felt the anger and frustration surge through him as his fist collided with the bloodied tree. Danny was out there somewhere with someone who obviously had no objection to killing. He kept going over the different decisions he could have made that might have saved Danny, but deep down he knew he had done the right thing. Grace was safe, and that is all Danny would have wanted.

"Grace," He whispered.

"What?" Chin asked, barely hearing Steve's word over the pouring rain.

"Grace," Steve said again, as he looked at Chin with new found clarity.

"Grace is safe, Steve. She's with Kono."

"No, I know that, but Danny doesn't. If Ron was working with someone, he would have wanted this." Steve gestured to the backpack that was secured on his back. "If this person was trying to force Danny to Grace, then Danny would have wanted to stall. He would have tried anything to give us more time to find Grace," Steve stated, certain of Danny's plan.

"So where would Danny lead this guy?" Chin asked.

"The footprints stop at the tree line. The rain will soon have washed them away. There are too many options. We need to split up. Everyone take a direction from where the footprints stop. I'll continue north towards the cliffs. Chin, you head east. Officer Malone, cover the west. Officer Stalvez head back south, but check any off trail routes that we may have missed on our way in. Keep your flashlights on and don't wonder too far off the trails. The storm is going to pick up and you need to be able to see your way back. If you don't find him within an hour, head back to the campsite. We cant risk losing any else," Steve said solemnly. He couldn't stand the idea of not finding Danny, but he also wouldn't let any other officer die. He would search all night if he had to, but he wasn't going to ask the same of anyone else.

The officers nodded and took off in their designated directions. Chin stepped towards Steve and said, "You know there's no way either one of us is leaving this jungle until we find our haole."

Steve smiled and clasped Chin's shoulder in a show of gratitude and respect.

"Be careful," Steve urged.

"You too, boss," Chin said before turning to his direction.

Steve took one last glance at Ron's body before starting on his trail. There was small solace in knowing that one of the shots heard had been received by Ron. He only hoped that he could find his partner before Danny suffered the same fate.

Danny laid in a heap of wet sand as he tried to catalogue his injuries. His head was pounding, and he was certain he had a concussion. His shoulder was burning with renewed intensity, and he could feel the infection of the gunshot wound spreading like a virus. His painful, ragged breaths indicated cracked, possibly broken ribs. His right forearm added to the collection of broken bones, but what caused his stomach to turn was the odd angle that his already bad knee was bent at.

Using his left arm, Danny slowly pushed himself into a sitting position, hissing at the pain.

Dizziness flooded him, and he bent to the side, expelling what little food and water he had in his system. He continued to dry heave until his broken ribs stunted the movement.

Gingerly, he reached down and undid the belt from his pants. He placed the leather between his teeth and closed his eyes. Using most of the strength of his left hand and some of his right, he grabbed his bad leg. Danny took a deep breath before popping his leg back in place. He bit into the belt at the overwhelming pain and tears sprung to his eyes.

No longer needing to keep his composure, he allowed the tears to fall as he collapsed back into the sand. He knew he needed to move soon as the tide was rising with the nightfall, but he couldn't find the strength to move. He closed his eyes and thought of Grace. He hoped that he had bought her enough time to get to safety. Hopefully Steve had her in his warm, safe embrace now.

Steve, the Neanderthal animal that invaded his every thought. The man was a danger magnet. Danny was certain that if Steve wouldn't have come along, none of this would have happened. Truthfully, Danny knew that Ron and Wilson were to blame, but where was the fun in that?

The loud crack of thunder spurred Danny into action. The detective pushed himself into a standing position as lighting streaked across the sky. Pain tore through every part of his body as he scanned the area for any source of cover from the storm.

Then, Danny saw it; A small cove that sat just at the base of the cliff. 'Fucking coves,' Danny thought, and he almost laughed at the irony of his situation and the lie he had told Wilson earlier. He was truly moving back to Jersey after this.

Danny cried with each step as chills and pain ravaged his body. When he finally reached the cover of the small cove just big enough for two people, he immediately collapsed onto the rough ground. As he wrapped his arms around himself in an attempt to stop the chills, he closed his eyes and the darkness finally came.


	7. Chapter 7

Steve stopped to take a sip of water from a bottle one of the officers had given him before. He was no good to Danny if he didn't have his strength. The rain was unrelenting as thunder rumbled in the sky. According to his watch, he had passed the hour mark five minutes ago. At this point, the other officers would be heading back to the camp if they hadn't found Danny.

Steve continued forward, refusing to give up on his partner. He was almost to the clearing by the cliffs when something on the ground caught his eye. He closed in on it and bent down. Steve's breath caught in his throat as he picked up the sweater Danny had been wearing the last time he saw him. It was covered in blood.

He had been here; Danny had been here. Steve was so close to finding him.

Steve's whole body shook with anticipation and fear as he ran to the clearing of the cliffs. Danny had to be around here somewhere. He spun around, looking at the tree lines or any other place that his partner might be. There was no sign of the Jersey native at the clearing, and Steve's mind told him what his heart refused to believe; Danny must have gone over the cliff.

Steve carefully moved to the edge of the cliff. It was a long drop down to the rocky shore. If Danny had survive, he was definitely injured. No one walked away from a fall like that without a scratch.

Steve tried shining his light over the cliff, but the rain distorted the view of the rocky shore.

He could feel it in his bones; He was close. Danny was down there somewhere, and there was no way that Steve was turning back now. He pulled the bandana from his pocket, wrapping it above his eyes to prevent the rain from clouding his vision.

Using the gauze and tape he had brought with him, Steve wrapped his hands, leaving his fingers out. He taped the flashlight to his right forearm hoping that it would stay secure against the rain. Steve pulled the two pocket knives out as he dropped his legs over the edge of the cliff. He left Danny's sweater at the clearing in hopes that Chin would eventually make it there and figure out where they were.

Steve's foot found a sturdy rock, and he felt for a spacing between the rocks. Finding one, he secured one of the knives between the rocks, using it as an anchor. He repeated this process a few more times until he was about eight feet down the cliff.

He had a long ways to go, and he hoped Danny could hold on that long.

Danny groaned as cold air tore through the small cove. Thunder shook the dark recess, and Danny felt tears in his eyes as shivers assaulted his broken body.

"You're pathetic, you know that?" Danny shot up as the voice that haunted his nightmares rang out.

"No!" He screamed as Rick Peterson, his ex partner, stood in front of him, one hand wrapped around Grace's throat and the other trailing the tip of a knife along her arm.

"Get the hell away from her," Danny snarled. He tried reaching for his daughter, but the pain caused his body to spasm as he fell to the ground.

"You can't save her, D. You're too weak. You always were too weak." Rick moved the blade closer to Grace's throat, and Danny eyes locked on his daughter's as his body refused to move.

"Danno, help me please. I wanna go home," Grace cried, and Danny saw the joy in Rick's eyes as Danny's world fell apart.

"Please, Rick. Kill me. She's just a child. Kill me, please!" Danny pleaded as tears fell down his cheeks.

"This is me killing you." Rick brought the hand from Grace's throat to the top of her head, pulling her head back. Danny screamed while his body refused to move as Rick moved the blade to Grace's throat.

"You couldn't save her," Rick said, and with menacing quickness, he slid the knife across Grace's throat.

Danny's screams echoed in the cove as his muscles unfroze, allowing him to run at Rick. He collided with a wall of the cove instead and Rick vanished into thin air. He crawled to the small form in front of him. Sobs rippled through Danny as he cradled his little girl in his arms. He couldn't save her. Rick was right; He was weak, and it had cost Gracie her life.

Chin doubled back as he had found no sign of Danny or Ron's mysterious partner. At this point, the other two officers would be headed back to the campsite, but he refused to return without Danny.

The storm was worsening as lighting lit up the sky. Thunder shook the trees around him.

Chin knew that Danny had been shot and was most likely succumbing to infection by now. He tried to put himself in Danny's shoes. If he was attempting to save Grace when he knew there was little chance that he was going to survive, what would he do? He would probably try to take out the threat once and for all, even if that meant dying as well.

Chin picked up his pace, setting at a steady jog. He knew exactly where Danny was, and if he was right, Steve would be trying to save him right now, no matter the cost.

Steve estimated that he was about half way down the cliff by now. The intense rain was making it hard to see, but the smell of salt water was growing stronger with each step.

He would be lying if he said that he wasn't afraid. He had no rope, no net to catch him. The knives were working well as anchors between each step, but one wrong placement and he could end up with a broken leg, or worse.

His right hand was wrapped around one of the knives when lightning struck a boulder just a few feet above. A painful vibration ran through the cliff as large debris of rocks rained down on Steve. A piece made contact when his right shoulder, and he cried out as he involuntarily yanked the knife out of its place and dropped it. He swung as his right arm hung loosely in the air. The left anchor was still in place, and he grimaced in pain as he pulled his arm up and attempted to grab onto a rock. He found a stable placement for his feet and slowed his movements for a minute in an attempt to catch his breath.

Steve counted to five before beginning his movements again. With one knife left and an injured shoulder, he slowly made his way down the cliff.

Chin made good time getting to the cliffs. He had ran the whole way, only stumbling a few times on the wet ground. He looked around for any sign of Danny or Steve. There, at the edge of the cliff, lay a bloodied sweater. 'Danny,' Chin thought as he recalled the scout leader's description of what Grace and Danny had been wearing at the campsite.

He bent down, picking up the garment before looking over the cliff. He couldn't see anything past a few feet, but he knew what had happened here; Danny had went over.

Chin plucked the satellite phone from his backpack and called the one person he could always count on answering.

Kono read over the report on Ron Alberts. It wasn't much, but she was looking for anything that could help her locate her team.

The two officers that had been with Chin and Steve had returned to the campsite almost two hours ago without Steve, Chin, or Danny. They reported having split up with Steve and Chin under orders to return if they didn't find Danny within an hour. Kono, however, knew that Steve and Chin would search through the storm until they found their teammate, or they would die trying.

Kono looked up from the table at HQ and into Danny's office where Rachel, Stan, Grace and Charlie sat solemnly. The more time that ticked by, the worse it looked for Danny.

Suddenly, Kono's ringtone broke the deafening silence. She instantly picked it up hoping for good news.

"Kono!" Kono instantly recognized her cousin's voice. Relief flooded through her as he spoke.

"I know where they are," Chin's voice relayed through the static of the storm. She could barely make out what he was saying.

"Chin, where are you? I can't pick up the signal," She stated, trying to locate the call.

"He… partner… Danny… cliffs… Steve," was all that came through the static before the call dropped.

"Chin!" Kono yelled to the dead line. Her heart sank as Rachel met her gaze through the glass of Danny's office. She felt alone without her team, and she had no idea how to help them.

"Dammit," Chin cursed as the call dropped. He could only hope that Kono had heard him. He had no way of getting down the cliff. Doing the only thing he could think of, Chin began walking back. If Kono hadn't heard him, then Chin had to get to the campsite and get help.

Danny sat dazed as he stroked Grace's hair. His hands were covered in her blood, and her beautiful brown eyes stared back at him, frozen. He cradled her in his lap as he begged repeatedly for her to wake up.

The rational part of his brain told him that it didn't make sense. Rick Peterson was in prison, and Grace was somewhere in the jungle, not in the cove. But Danny couldn't think rationally. All he saw was his little monkey dead in his arms. There was nothing he could do to bring her back.

"It's your fault you know." Danny's head snapped up as Rachel stepped towards him. "You are the reason she is dead."

"I know," Danny whispered. "I'm so sorry, Rachel."

"I don't want your apologies, Daniel. I want my baby girl back!" Rachel screamed. Danny couldn't speak as he stared at Grace's soft face, still in his arms.

"I tried taking her far away from you, but you just couldn't let go. You had to follow us out here, and now look what you've done." Rachel gestured to their dead daughter. "You bring nothing but pain and anger to people's live, Daniel. That is why I left you." Rachel moved forward, reaching down to grab Grace.

Danny held tighter, attempting to block Rachel's hands.

"Please don't take her from me," He pleaded, his voice shaking with despair.

Rachel shook her head as she pulled Grace into her arms.

"She's already gone, Daniel." Rachel vanished, taking Grace with her.

Danny tried standing, reaching out at the dissipating form of him ex wife, but his knees gave way and he fell back to the ground. He cried as he looked at his daughter's blood on his hands. She was gone, and he had nothing left.


	8. Chapter 8

A logical part of Danny's brain reminded him that the dried blood on his hands was his, not Grace's, but the grief was all too real. He knew his mind was playing tricks on him- a result of the infection taking over his body. He was being shown his worst fears- losing Grace, Rachel taking her away from him.

Danny sat in a small pool of water as rain collected in the cove. He had no way of knowing if anyone was coming for him. For all he knew, Steve could still be locked in the shed with the Aloha Girls. It was unlikely, but it was possible. He blocked that idea from his mind though, because if that were true, then that meant that Grace was still out there alone.

No, he had to believe that Steve had found Grace. Even if he didn't believe that there was hope for himself, he had to believe that there was hope for her.

'At least she's alive,' He thought to himself, unable to shake the image of her still body from his mind. Danny wondered what awful thing he had done in this life to deserve to be haunted by his worst fears.

He closed his eyes and tried to think of good memories to replace the haunting images of his hallucinations. He thought of the day Grace was born and how tiny her hand was wrapped around his thumb. He thought of the day he married Rachel, even though it hadn't ended well, it was still a day that he remembered being incredibly happy.

He thought of the day his family went to a carnival in Jersey, and Matty threw up on the tilt-a-whirl. He thought of Five-O, his ohana, and watching movies while eating popcorn after long cases. That made him think of Steve.

He thought of the day he walked into John McGarrett's garage and pulled his weapon on a stranger intruding on a crime scene. The man had raised his own weapon at Danny, and the man's intolerance for authority and order made Danny furious.

That day, Danny hadn't known that Steve was going to have such a large impact on his life. Now, Danny couldn't imagine his life without the Neanderthal.

Suddenly, Danny heard the splash of water as someone entered the cove. With what little light the moon offered, Danny could make out the tall silhouette that surged towards him. Relief overcame him as Steve's hands reached out and cupped his face.

"Danny! Thank god you're okay," Steve exclaimed as his hands moved from Danny's face and felt over his body for injury. He cried out as Steve's hand landed on his broken arm and again when Steve felt for an exit wound where he got shot.

"Sorry Danno, but I needed to know if the bullet was still in there," Steve stated with sympathy.

"How'd you find me, you animal?" Danny gasped through painful breaths.

Steve's hands moved back to Danny's face as he answered, "I'll always find you."

Danny's breath caught in his throat as he felt Steve's weight lean into him. Before Steve's lips could make contact, the clicking of a gun sounded from the entrance of the cove. Both partners looked up quickly to find Wilson towering over them. Blood covered the left side of his face, but he otherwise looked uninjured.

Steve moved to block Danny from the gun's line of aim.

"Steve, don't," Danny pleaded.

"Where are my diamonds?" Wilson snarled, stepping into the cramped space of the cove.

"Gone," Steve stated without the slightest hint of fear. 'Oh no,' Danny thought to himself. He knew that look. Steve was about to do something impulsive and stupid.

Before Danny could stop him, Steve lunged at Wilson. The gunshot rang through the small cove, and Danny cried out as Steve fell to his knees.

"No, no, no," Danny cried, gathering Steve into his arms and gently lying him on the ground. Blood blossomed over Steve's shirt, and Danny tried to no avail to stop it.

"Da… Danno…" Steve stuttered, reaching a bloodied hand up to caress Danny's tear stricken cheek.

"You idiot," Danny mumbled. "Why would you do that?" The blood was everywhere now.

"Because," and something in Steve's voice made Danny look from the wound to Steve's eyes. They looked as if they carried the weight of a thousand unsaid words and un-shed tears.

"I love you," Steve confessed as blood seeped from his mouth.

Danny's heart shattered as Steve's hand dropped lifelessly from his face.

"No, no, no. You don't get to do that," Danny said, shaking Steve. "You don't get to say that and then leave me. Steve? Steve!" His fingers searched Steve's neck for a pulse as the beautiful eyes of his partner stared into nothingness.

Danny's body shook with overwhelming grief as Steve's chest refused to rise again.

He turned to scream at Wilson, "I'll kill you, you son of a bitch!" Dead air answered him as Wilson vanished, just as Rick had before. Danny spun quickly on his knees, grasping for Steve's body as it began to fade away.

"No!" Water splashed around him as he turned repeatedly, trying to find his partner.

"Steve!" He screamed into the night, and his cries were swallowed into the storm.

If it hadn't been for the direness of the situation, Steve would have been excited and exhilarated as his feet touched the ground of the rocky shore. He had just successfully descended a cliff using nothing but two pocket knives, one of which he lost half way down. However, all he felt as he scanned the shore was the overwhelming need to find his partner.

Danny was going to kill him for doing what he just did. He would hear about it for years to come, if he was lucky.

Steve made a sweeping motion with his right arm, allowing the flashlight to canvas the area. He grimaced at the pain in his shoulder, but reminded himself that Danny was much worse off.

The Seal unholstered his weapon that Chin had given him and went on high alert. If Danny was down here, then Ron's partner was as well. Steve cautiously stepped forward, intent on finding his partner.

Chin couldn't remember the last time that he had ran so much. He was only half way back to the campsite if the markers that the other officers had left on the trees were any indication. He was thankful that he still pushed himself to run and workout every morning. He was in good shape, but that didn't mean much when faced with the jungle and a raging storm.

His pants were covered in mud, and his hands were scraped from the numerous times that he had tripped while running. He wouldn't normally categorize himself as a klutz, but the darkness was making it hard to see the slick ground under his boots. The small flashlight did little to light the way as the trees danced around him.

Chin knew that Steve had somehow attempted to go down the cliff in order to find Danny. Hell, he wouldn't be surprised if Steve had flung himself off in some rash decision that it would get him to Danny quicker.

Chin could see the way Danny and Steve looked at one another. They may be oblivious to their feelings, but no one else was. He and Kono had spent endless nights over the past three years gossiping about their teammates. They watched amused as Steve and Danny bantered back and forth, day in and day out. It was more than just two working partners at each other's throats. There was a fluidity and ease to which they played off of one another.

Chin had never seen anything like that. It was as if the partners had connected on a level that very few people do in their lives. It was as if they shared thoughts, movements, and ideas. They challenged each other while also grounding one another.

People often times thought too much on the "rights and wrongs" of relationships. There were those who saw it as their way or the highway, meaning that relationships were meant to be between man and woman and all other opinions be damned. Then, there were those who saw love for what it was; Love. Chin fell into the latter group. If a person was lucky enough to find someone who made them better, made them whole, then that was all that mattered. Some people spent their whole lives searching for what Danny and Steve had, Chin just wished that they would see it.

He shook his head at his idiot teammates as he continued running through the jungle. He hoped that he could get help to them in time.

Danny was certain that this was what death felt like. His body was burning and shivering at the same time. The water in the cove now lapped around his waist as he sat in the small shelter. He knew that the water and the cove was potentially filled with bacteria, seeping into his already festering wound.

His concussed head was throbbing, but it was a small pain in comparison to the fire burning in his shoulder. His right arm looked as though it might fall off at any second. The blood from the gunshot wound still covered the arm, long since dried and clotted in a disgusting mound on his shirt. His forearm was swollen and purple, the result of his run in with a boulder on his way down the cliff. It hurt like hell, which was actually comforting because that meant it was still attached.

He was soaking wet, partially due to the pool of water he sat in and also the result of excessive sweating. He didn't even have the strength anymore to raise his hand to his head to feel the fever. Danny knew it was bad. He could feel the fever slowly creeping into his brain, causing hallucinations and when he closed his eyes, nightmares.

He had the urge to lie down in the water and let himself fall into an everlasting sleep, but the fear of what he might see when he closed his eyes kept him awake, holding onto consciousness by his fingertips.

Wilson had been practically crawling across the shore for some time now. The bastard detective had pulled him off of the cliff, and the next thing he knew he was waking up on the shore with double vision and a broken leg. He must have hit his abdomen during the fall as the darkening bruises were causing sharps pains with every breath. Williams better hope he was dead because if Wilson found him alive, there would be no mercy.

There was no where to take cover as lightning lit up the sky. The flash illuminated the shore and Wilson used the millisecond of light to search for shelter. He caught a glimpse of something in the fading light, and he waited impatiently for the lightning to flash again. Finally, the thunder rumbled and the sky lit up, allowing Wilson to see the rain pouring into a recess at the base of the cliff. It might be wet, but at least it would offer him some reprieve from the storm.

Wilson pushed himself into a standing position, putting most of his weight on his right leg. He dragged the left one along as he made his way to the newfound shelter. Lightning flared across the sky once more as he reached the entrance. What he saw caused a grin to spread across his face; Williams.


	9. Chapter 9

Danny was in a fever induced daze. His hands were pruning from the copious amount of water building up in the cove. He was shivering, and he couldn't find the energy to move to warm himself up. Maybe that's why he never registered the shadow at the entrance of the cove or the sound of boots splashing the rising water around. One second he's staring into darkness and the next he's being lifted with surprising strength and slammed into the wall he had been propped against.

"This really isn't your lucky day, Detective," Wilson snarled with one hand wrapped around Danny's throat and the other firmly placed on his injured shoulder, holding him in place.

Danny couldn't stop the laughter that left his lips at the truth in Wilson's statement. Maybe Wilson would put him out of his misery.

"Where are my diamonds?" Wilson demanded, and Danny's mind flashed with the image of Wilson saying those exact words before putting a bullet in Steve. Maybe this was another hallucination, although so far he had been shown his fears, and he didn't fear Wilson. He had been through too much to be afraid of him. If this were real, then he would welcome whatever Wilson did. Maybe then Death would relieve him of his pain.

"Where are my diamonds?!" Wilson yelled again, spit splattering against Danny's face.

"I don't know," Danny tried to say, but his voice sounded hoarse and unrecognizable.

"Maybe this will help you remember." Wilson slammed his thumb against the entry of the bullet wound, and Danny couldn't repress the horrendous scream that escaped him.

Steve had been cautiously searching the shore for his partner. The waves were crashing with tremendous rage, and the lightning provided assistance to his flickering flashlight. He didn't think that Danny would have been able to go far, and Steve was running out of places to look.

He wanted to shout for his partner, to call his name endlessly until he found him. But he had no way of knowing where Ron's partner was. He couldn't risk letting his presence be known until he knew whether the guy had Danny or not.

Steve moved closer to the base of the cliffs in an attempt to escape the waves reaching further into the shore. He was already soaked from the rain, but that didn't mean he wanted to get swept into the ocean.

That's when Steve heard it; A blood curdling scream pierced the night, and Steve's heart stopped.

'Danny,' Steve thought and his feet were moving before he could formulate any kind of plan.

Danny shook with pain, and if Wilson didn't have him pinned to the wall, he would have certainly fallen over. Dizziness invaded his senses, and he was surprised that he didn't black out.

"Now, I'm going to give you one last chance," Wilson began. "Tell me where my diamonds are. Where's the little bitch that took them?"

Even through mind numbing pain, Danny felt the rage that sparked within him at Wilson talking about his little girl. Surprising strength surged out of him as he pushed off the wall and swung at Wilson. His fist connected with a satisfying crunch, and Wilson stumbled in the small space.

Danny distractedly registered that the water was now to his knees while standing. The cove had to be at a sloped angle to be collecting water at such a rapid rate. His fever ridden mind barely processed Wilson's counter attack as pain shot through his jaw.

Wilson took advantage of Danny's disorientation, lashing out and throwing him into the water. Danny tried to get his feet back under him, but found Wilson's weight holding him in the rising water. Strong hands wrapped around his throat once more and forced his head under the murky water.

Danny tasted salt, dirt, and blood as he instinctively opened his mouth for air. Water rushed into his lungs as he tried fighting the overwhelming urge to scream.

Suddenly, Danny saw a light shine through the water, and he was being lifted up. Wilson yanked him closer as if to use him a human shield. A light was pointed at them, and Danny blinked in an attempt to make out the source.

"Let him go." Danny would recognize that voice anywhere. It invaded his thoughts, dreams, and it had never sounded so heavenly.

But no, Steve wasn't here; He couldn't be. Danny was sure that he was hallucinating.

"No, no, no. Not again, please. I can't," Danny pleaded with his brain. He couldn't watch his partner die again. He couldn't take another hallucination.

Steve held his position with confusion as Danny begged incoherently. The sight of his partner teetering on the edge of a breaking point caused Steve's heart to clench.

Wilson took advantage of Steve's momentary distraction, pulling a knife from his back pocket.

Steve saw the glint of silver, and before he could react, the blade was pressed firmly against his partner's throat. Steve stepped forward with his finger twitching to pull the trigger.

"Ah, ah, ah!" Wilson warned, yanking on Danny's head to expose more of his throat. The blade broke skin, and a light trail of blood slid down his neck.

Steve halted. He wanted nothing more than to put a bullet in this man's head, but he had no desire to watch his partner's throat get slit. He decided to try bargaining instead.

"You're Ron's partner, right?" Steve asked, sliding the backpack off of his shoulders.

"Well I found what Ron lost, and I am willing to give it to you if you let my partner go," He offered.

Danny was still trying to determine if this was a hallucination or if Steve was really here. The bite of the blade against his throat had him leaning more towards reality at the moment.

He watched bleary-eyed as Steve pulled the backpack off and held it in the air. Even in his disoriented state he recognized the bag that Grace had run off with hours earlier. 'Grace,' Danny thought with overwhelming relief. That meant that Steve had found her; She was safe.

"Throw the bag on the shore and step out," Wilson demanded to Steve, applying pressure to Danny's throat for emphasis. Danny made a choking noise, and Steve followed the orders without hesitation. He watched as Wilson pulled Danny out of the cove and into the rain. Danny groaned as the wind whipped around them.

"Move and I'll slit his throat," Wilson warned, moving himself and Danny towards the backpack. Steve's fingers itched to raise his gun and take the guy out, but he couldn't risk his partner's life. Danny looked as if he might collapse any minute, and Steve was certain that Ron's partner was the only thing holding him up.

Danny felt himself being pulled along by Wilson as the man bent down and picked up the discarded backpack. He knew that he needed to get Steve a clear shot of Wilson, but his blurred vision and nausea were making it difficult to fight.

"Now, the detective and I are going to find a way out of here, and you are going to stay here, or I will kill him," Wilson promised, and Steve nodded.

Steve watched as Ron's partner dragged Danny along the shore. He waited submissively until the man turned his back on Steve with Danny in tow. This was his chance. He raised his gun and took one shot. The bullet tore through Wilson's knee, and he collapsed to the sand screaming, taking Danny down with him.

Danny gasped as he collided with the wet sand. Wilson's weight dug into his back and then it was suddenly gone. Danny felt himself being turned gently onto his back as large hands roamed over his body. Worried eyes stared down at him as Steve knelt over Danny, blocking the rain from his face. Danny turned his head to the side and caught a glimpse of unmoving Wilson just feet from them.

"Danny, god Danny." Steve's hands cupped Danny's face, turning him back to meet his pained expression.

"Steve…" Danny moaned at his partner, trying to hold on to consciousness.

"Danno, stay with me," Steve begged as he saw his partner's eyes flutter shut. Steve could feel the immense heat radiating from Danny's body despite the cold rain. He had knocked Ron's partner out with one quick blow to the head before rushing to Danny's side. He would deal with the other man soon enough.

Steve heard another moan escape Danny's lips and he leaned closer.

"What is it, babe? I'm gonna get you out of here," Steve promised.

"Gr… Grace," Came the soft whimper from his partner, and Steve's heart stopped. This wasn't happening; He wouldn't let it. It was the part of his nightmares that haunted him when he was awake. It wasn't the recurring image of Danny dying a thousand different ways. No, it was his daughter's name on his last breath that echoed in Steve's mind daily. It was the reminder of what Danny stood to lose, what Grace could lose. He refused to let Grace lose her father, and he refused to lose his best friend.

Steve ran his fingers through Danny's tousled hair and cupped the back of Danny's neck.

"Open your eyes for me, Danno," Steve pleaded, and brilliant blue eyes locked on his for a second before closing once more.

Kono had been replaying Chin's message in her head for hours. She had spoken with the two officers that originally stayed in the jungle with Chin and Steve. They had informed her that they suspected Ron had a partner who turned on him and took Danny. That at least explained the part of Chin's message about a partner. She also knew that Steve had been heading in the direction of the cliffs to search for Danny. Maybe that was what Chin had been trying to tell her; Maybe they were at the cliffs. If that were the case, then why hadn't Chin said that they were headed back. Something wasn't right. What if Chin was trying to tell her that Danny and Steve had gone over the cliff?

Realization dawned on Kono and she ran to the computer while dialing HPD.

Chin was dehydrated and tired. He had ran out of water long ago, and his muscles were cramping with each exhausting stride. He was so close to the campsite, but it also felt like an eternity away. He had been running for hours, and it was taking its toll.

He pushed himself further one step at a time until he finally saw the break in the trail leading to the campsite. No lights flashed or sirens blared, and he knew it was because they were to keep a low profile in an attempt to not make Ron or his partner act impulsively. However, Chin knew that he was only steps away from a platoon of officers and first aid.

Chin waved his arms in the air as he caught sight of the officers ahead. He tried to yell, but all that came out was a hoarse whisper.

Sergeant Duke Lukela had been rounding up more ponchos and water bottles for his fellow officers when he heard the loud thud of a body hitting the muddy ground. He turned and raced towards the fallen officer. He instantly recognized the man.

"Lieutenant Kelly, can you hear me? Are you hurt?" Duke inquired as his eyes took inventory of the Five-O member's body.

"They went over the cliffs," Chin mumbled as he produced a bloody sweater from his backpack.

"Find them," He whispered, and the lieutenant eyes rolled back and his head fell back to the ground.

"I need help over here!" Duke commanded, and officers rushed towards him. "He needs to get to a hospital. Get fluids in him and check for any injuries. Get a K-9 unit up here, stat," He said looking down at the bloody garment.

Duke was going to find McGarrett and Williams if it was the last thing he did.


	10. Chapter 10

Steve felt for Danny's pulse and breathed a sigh of relief when he felt it beating against his fingers. His partner remained unconscious, most likely a result of the fever and pain. A groan from a few feet away brought his attention to the man who had held a knife to Danny's throat just minutes earlier.

Blinding rage coursed through Steve's veins and he found himself stalking towards the waking man. He scooped up the discarded pocket knife and closed in on Ron's partner. A surprised yelp escaped Wilson's lips as Steve yanked him up and began dragging him to the violent waves. He threw the criminal into the shallow water, wrapping his left hand tightly around his throat, the other pressing the knife against Wilson's cheek.

The man cursed as the first wave slammed into his face. Steve ignored the water that hit his torso as he pushed Wilson's head into the dark waters. He held him under for a minute before pulling the thrashing form back up.

"You like that, huh?!" Steve spat as the man gasped for breath. The criminal began to laugh as Steve shook him. The man muttered incoherently as the laughter rattled his body.

"You think this is funny?" Steve demanded, pressing the blade of the knife to Wilson's ribs.

Wilson abruptly stopped laughing as he met Steve's stare with a menacing expression.

"I'm going to make you watch while I kill the detective over there," Wilson stated, tilting his head in the direction of Danny's still body. Steve almost laughed at the man's idiocy. He was delusional if he thought Steve was actually going to let that happen.

"Then, I'm going to kill you," Wilson declared, and Steve just rolled his eyes as he pressed the bladed harder against the man's ribs. He still had one hand wrapped around his throat, and Steve was seconds away from shoving him back underwater.

"Then, I'm going to find the little bitch that took off with my diamonds to begin with, and I'm going to teach her a thing or to about touching stuff that doesn't belong to you," Wilson threatened with a wink.

Steve wasn't sure where it came from, the blinding rage that overpowered the voice of reasoning in his head. He was never one for police procedure like Danny, and it showed as Steve tightened his hand around Wilson's throat and slid the knife across the man's left ribs.

Wilson let out a cry just before Steve threw him back in the water. The waves crashed atop his face as blood darkened the water around them.

Steve pulled him up once more and positioned the blade just above his clavicle.

"How about I carve you up and leave you for the sharks? How does that sound?" Steve offered, pushing the tip of the knife into his skin, drawing blood.

Wilson laughed again, and Steve was about to fulfill his promise when he heard a pained cry from the shore. He turned to see Danny convulsing on the wet sand.

"You better go. It doesn't look like your boy is doing too good," Wilson chuckled. Steve pulled him from the water and onto shore. He slid the knife into his pocket and with two consecutive punches, Wilson dropped to the sand in an unconscious heap.

Steve rushed towards his partner and waited helplessly for the convulsions to subside. Finally, he was able to roll Danny onto his left side as he ran his hands over his partner's wet face.

"Danny, hey babe, open your eyes," Steve coaxed and was rewarded when beautiful blue eyes fluttered open and stared at him.

"Steve? You're really here?" Danny asked dazed.

"Yeah babe, and I'm not going anywhere. Not without my partner," Steve reassured him.

Danny's eyes went wide as he spotted the discarded backpack beside him.

"Grace! Where's Gracie?" Danny panicked, his hand grasping Steve's arm as if it was his lifeline.

"She's okay. She's at HQ with Kono," Steve said, and he watched fear recede from Danny's eyes. He looked like hell. Danny's jaw was painted with a darkening bruise, both sides of his head were matted with blood, and he had a large bruise in the shape of a hand encircling his throat. Wilson would be sporting a matching bruise now.

Steve let his eyes wander the rest of his partner's body using the small flashlight to take inventory of his injuries. There was so much blood on his shoulder and arm it was hard to tell how much damage had been done. His right forearm was most certainly broken, and his bad knee was swollen, causing the pants leg to be uncomfortably tight.

"Dammit, Danny. We have to get you to a hospital," Steve stated the obvious, and he could hear the crack in his voice. He hoped Danny didn't pick up on it.

"No, no. I'm just starting to enjoy this vacation. I've always wanted to be stranded on a beach with you. Although you are usually shirtless in my fantasies," Danny rambled. Steve couldn't help but wonder if he was being sarcastic or genuinely honest; Steve hoped the latter. Steve's mind wanted to wander to the possibilities of things he and Danny could do while stranded on a beach, shirtless. But this wasn't that fantasy; This was life or death.

"We have to find a way out of here," Steve said hopelessly. His eyes scanned the area, but all he saw was water and the cliff stretching down the shore.

"Right, we are at the bottom of a cliff," Danny stated. "I knew I hated this pineapple infested island for a reason. I wouldn't have fallen off a cliff in Jersey."

Steve just rolls his eyes, silently grateful for the witty remarks. He can see how hard Danny is trying to masks his pain, and it makes his heart ache.

"Wait, how are you," Danny pointed at Steve before continuing, "At the bottom of this cliff?" He finished, his eyes narrowing at Steve.

"I uh, scaled down the cliff using pocket knives," Steve confessed with a shrug of his shoulders as if it were nothing.

Danny stared at him for a moment, his mouth slightly agape. He knew that look; He was about to get a notorious Danny Williams rant.

"You scaled down a CLIFF in the MIDDLE of a storm using only POCKET KNIVES?!" Danny's voice rang out over the thunder above.

"You are an animal, you hear me? A caveman, Neanderthal animal! You could have gotten yourself killed!" Danny tried to push himself up and towards Steve, but the rush of pain causes him to fall back onto the sand. Steve gave him a stern look, demanding that he stay still.

"Says the one who threw a guy off of cliff, and then followed him! You and I are going to have a serious talk about that later, you understand?" Steve promised. Danny just stared at him with a look that Steve couldn't quite decipher.

"Yes, commander," Danny breathed as his eyes wandered over the Navy Seal. The look in Danny's eyes sent a warmth through Steve as his breath quickened. His eyes traveled to Danny's lips where a single raindrop rested. Steve wanted to taste that raindrop, and finally give in. Danny was here alive, at least for now, and Steve refused to waste that blessing. If they never made it off this shore at least he would die with no regrets.

Conscious of every bruise on Danny's body, Steve moved atop his partner allowing his knees to straddle him. Danny made no sound of disapproval, and Steve leaned forward pressing his forearms into the sand on either side of Danny's head. His eyes search blue ones for approval as he hovered over Danny, careful not to press against his battered body.

Danny's hand came up, moving from Steve's jaw to the back of his neck. It was all he needed, and Steve brought his lips to Danny's. Warmth exploded through him as his partner's tongue entered his mouth. A moan escaped his lips as pure ecstasy coursed through his veins. Danny's hand knitted in Steve's hair, tugging him closer and deeper into the kiss. Steve was certain he had never felt this before- this white-hot burning passion. It was consuming him, and he couldn't get enough.

Rain repeatedly slammed into his back, but the storm was nonexistent as Danny moaned into his mouth. Steve wanted to taste more of him, to feel every inch of his partner's body. He had to grab a fistful of sand to stop his hands from doing the things that his mind wanted.

Danny breathed out heavily as Steve disconnected from his lips. He wasn't sure if he was hallucinating again, or if the Navy Seal had just actually kissed him. Steve's eyes were locked on his, full of desire and passion. Danny tried to pull him back in, but Steve pulled Danny's hand from the back of his neck.

"We have to get moving, Danno. There will be more of that later, I promise," Steve said breathlessly. Danny nodded still unable to find his words. It wasn't often that he was left speechless, but leave it to Steve to find a way. He turned his head to the still figure of Wilson lying in the sand.

"How hard did you hit him?" He asked aloud. Steve looked from Wilson's unconscious form to Danny's beaten body beneath him.

"Not hard enough."

Kono entered HQ with an exhausted Chin Ho in tow. Duke had called her just earlier telling her that Chin was being taken to the hospital. Her cousin had been given fluids and ordered to rest, but Kono knew there would be no rest until their ohana was whole again.

"Where are we on finding them?" Chin asked as he plopped down in the office chair. His muscles ached tremendously, and he hoped he had done the right thing by leaving the cliffs.

"Duke has a K-9 unit setting up at HPD now. The storm should clear within the next two hours, and they will chopper the unit to the base of the cliff. From there, the unit will use Danny's sweater to track their location," Kono informed Chin.

He blew out a sigh of relief; They were making progress. He turned his head to Danny's office where Grace sat with Rachel, Stan, and the baby. Her clothes had been changed and her face cleaned, but the sadness and fear was something that a shower couldn't wash off.

"We have to find them," Chin stated, and Kono followed his gaze to the family in the office.

"We will," Kono reassured him. She only hoped she was right.


	11. Chapter 11

Steve wrapped the last remaining tape around Wilson's wrists, securing them behind the criminal's back. He had begun to regain consciousness, and Steve wasn't taking any chances with him. He wasn't sure what to do with the man; He had Danny to take care of, but there was also a part of him that couldn't just leave the guy face down on the shore, no matter what he had done.

'God,' Steve thought, he really had been around Danny too long. A few short years ago, the Seal wouldn't have had any problem leaving the scum bag for dead, but now he desperately wanted the satisfaction of watching him stand trial and go to prison.

He left Wilson lying in the sand as he moved back towards Danny. His partner was struggling to stay awake, the fever had begun taking its toll on him again. And although the rain had begun to let up, Danny was soaked to the bone. Daylight had begun to creep back into existence, illuminating every scrape and bruise on Danny's body. Steve had counted the amount of thunder and lightning streaks in the past few minutes and had concluded that the storm would soon end. There was no point in moving now; If they stayed on the shore, they at least stood a chance of a passing chopper seeing them.

Steve knelt beside his partner and placed both hands on either side of Danny's face. The Seal had discarded the flashlight and bandages on his hands when the darkness of the night had cleared. Heat radiated from Danny's skin, the result of untreated wounds.

"Danny, babe. I need you to stay with me, okay?" Steve pleaded as blue eyes blinked sluggishly at him.

Not… Going anywhere," Danny managed to say between ragged breaths. "You still owe a lady dinner after that kiss."

Steve laughed at Danny's statement, and a nervous excitement rose in him at the idea of taking the blond on an actual date.

"How about we sit you up, and then we can plan the perfect first date," Steve offered as he laced his hands under Danny's armpits. He took a deep breath before pulling his partner up and against his chest. Danny groaned into Steve's shirt, and the Seal carefully moved him up to the base of the cliff.

"Okay, Danno. I'm going to sit you up against here." Danny nodded, and Steve carefully bent them both down, placing his partner against the base of the cliff.

"I'll be right back, okay?" Steve said, and he placed a kiss on Danny's forehead. Danny moaned something in response, but Steve was already headed back towards Wilson.

Steve made his way to the criminal and yanked him up by the arm. The man was now coming into full consciousness, and he tried earnestly to pull his wrists out of the tape.

"I'm going to kill you," Wilson spat, and Steve just pushed him towards the spot he had left Danny at.

"No, I think the only thing you are going to be doing is going to prison for a very long time," Steve informed him. He pushed the criminal down and against the base of the cliff away from Danny, but close enough to keep an eye on.

"Try anything stupid, and I will knock your ass out again," Steve warned, placing his boot against Wilson's chest and shoving him against the rough dirt. He was rewarded with a satisfying groan as Wilson slumped against the cliff in pain.

Steve returned to Danny, glad to find him still conscious.

"What have I told you about police brutality?" Danny asked, pointing to Wilson, who was now breathing heavily against the rock.

"You literally threw him off a cliff!" Steve reminded him.

"Yes, well I didn't think either of us would survive that," Danny muttered, and Steve lost his breath at the thought of Danny dying. He knelt inches in front of Danny.

"Is that supposed to justify it? You die, and then what? Grace has no father, Chin and Kono lose you, and I…" Steve's words caught in his throat as Danny's gaze intensely fixed on his. "And I lose the most important person in my life."

Danny felt guilt crush him at Steve's words. Yes, he had been trying to protect Grace by eliminating Wilson, but he hadn't fully considered the effect it would have on the people in his life.

"I'm sorry," He whispered before knotting his fingers in Steve's shirt and pulling him close. Their lips collided, and once again Danny felt electricity shoot through his veins. Steve's body relaxed against him, and his hand snaked up to the back of Danny's neck. Steve's tongue found Danny's, and warm pleasure replaced the pain in his body. He never wanted to forget this feeling- this overwhelming pleasure.

Too soon, Steve pulled back from Danny. The detective felt an instant cold, his body begging for more. As if having read Danny's thoughts, Steve leaned forward allowing his lips to skim Danny's ear. His hot breath sent fireworks through Danny, and he was sure he had never been this turned on.

"Later," Steve whispered a promise in his ear. Shivers of anticipation rolled through Danny, and he had to repress the moan of ecstasy that threatened to escape him.

Wilson watched in disgust as the two cops shared an intimate moment just a few feet away from him. Using the distraction, the criminal began rubbing the tape on his wrists against the jagged rock that he was propped against. The rain was mostly clear by now, and Wilson knew the cops would have help coming soon.

He continued working on the tape as he watched the taller cop lean close to the detective's ear. Taking care of Williams wouldn't be a problem, but the boss would be a challenge. Wilson's abdomen was still in immense pain, and his leg was even worse. But as he watched the two men enthralled with each other, he relished in the knowledge that he had the element of surprise on his side.

Kono slid into her spot on the chopper. She shared the small space with three other officers and the trained canine. Kono tightened her belt as the chopper left the ground and began its ascension into the now clearing sky.

Kono had demanded that Chin stay at HQ with Rachel and the family. He needed more rest than that, but she knew he wouldn't sleep until Danny and Steve returned. A medical chopper followed behind them, knowing the large chance that they would be needed.

The officer checked her sniper rifle one more time as the chopper headed towards the jungle. This was it; She was going to bring her boys home.

Steve pulled back from Danny and couldn't help the laugh that escaped him at the heated look on his partner's face.

"You, my friend, are a tease," Danny stated breathlessly.

Steve's laugh was cut off by the sounds of an approaching chopper. The Seal leapt up and ran across the shore searching for the source of the sound. Just off in the distance, he spotted the blades descending. They were too far away; He would have to get Danny and get him to help as soon as possible.

Steve turned to his partner and saw the hope spread across his face. He moved to help Danny up when he saw a blur of movement rushing towards him. Wilson collided with Steve, slamming him into the ground. The sudden surprise was all Wilson needed to pin Steve on his back and wrap his hands around the Seal's throat.

Steve's military training kicked in, and he jabbed his fist up into Wilson's sternum. The man's grip immediately loosened, giving Steve the opportunity to roll them over.

Danny's fevered mind cleared at the sight of Wilson tackling Steve. Fear gripped him as Wilson began choking his partner. Steve instantly regained his composure, striking out and switching their positions.

Danny's whole body protested as he pushed himself off the rock, looking for any way to assist his partner. Steve landed two solid hits to Wilson's face, and it looked as though the fight was ending just as quickly as it had started.

Then Danny saw it; Wilson's hand crept behind Steve's back and gripped the handle of the gun tucked in the back of Steve's waistband. Too quickly for Steve to realize it, Wilson pulled the gun free.

Danny didn't think, couldn't think. Adrenaline poured in him as he threw himself forward, knocking Steve over as the gun went off.

Steve collided with the ground once again, and the sound of a gunshot surprised him. He immediately rolled from under Danny, knocking the gun from Wilson before climbing on top of him again. His fist connected with the criminal's face repeatedly as rage seeped out of him. The harsh hiss of pain pulled him from his vengeance. Wilson's body went limp beneath him, but was soon forgotten as Steve turned to find Danny lying on the ground.

Steve rushed to his partner and fell on his knees next to him.

"Danny, what the hell?" Steve cursed. Danny's hands were pressed against his side, and Steve slowly pulled them away. Blood poured from the wound at a rapid rate.

"Last time I checked," Danny began. "When you get someone shot, you apologize." There was a nervous laughter to his statement, and Steve could hear the fear laced in it.

"I did not get you shot," Steve stated, pressing his hands over the wound. It looked like a through and through if the blood pooling below Danny was any indication.

"No, but you would have been shot." His voice wavered, and Steve had to pull his eyes from the blood to look at his partner. Tears cascaded down Danny's cheeks, and Steve couldn't stop his hand from reaching out and swiping them away.

"Then I would have been shot, Danno. Dammit, why did you do that?" Steve cursed again. He always knew Danny's fierce loyalty and protective streak would end up getting him hurt.

"You think I was just going to watch you get shot?" Danny asked. "I could never live with myself if that happened."

Steve shook his head at the blood that seeped through his fingers. He refused to let Danny die for him; He refused to lose his best friend.

"Hey babe," Danny's voice broke his thoughts as his bloody hand gripped Steve's arm.

"You gotta take care of Grace, you hear me? Teach her how to play softball even though you are terrible at it. Take her to football games, teach her to throw a punch. Make sure my monkey remembers.." Danny's voice broke as his bright blue eyes met Steve's.

"Make sure she remembers that her Danno loves her," He choked through pained breaths.

"How about you tell her that yourself. You can do all that with her, Danno. We can do that together," Steve pleaded.

He pulled his shirt off and pressed it onto Danny's side.

"You'll do anything to take your clothes off, huh?" Danny's broken voice whispered. The lack of strength in his voice caused Steve to turn his attention back to his partner's face. He was deathly pale.

"Danny," Steve tried to get his attention as Danny's eyelids fluttered shut.

"Dammit," He cursed, casting one look to the unconscious Wilson and then back to his now unconscious partner. He had to get Danny to that chopper.

With all of his strength, he pulled Danny's dead weight off the ground and slung one of the detective's arms around his neck. Steve held him tight against his body with the other hand still pressing his shirt into Danny's side. His partner's head dropped against his shoulder as Steve began pulling him up the shore towards the spot he saw the chopper descend.

Steve had no way of knowing how far away the chopper actually was, but he was either going to get Danny there or he would die trying.

Kono leapt from the chopper as it hit the sandy shore. Her rifle was ready as the canine began sniffing the area using the scent from Danny's bloody sweater that Duke had given HPD. The blood on the sweater make Kono feel sick. She refused to believe that Danny wouldn't pull through this; He was too stubborn not to.

They followed the canine for a few minutes before the dog's head snapped up in alert. Instantly, he took off a full sprint with Kono right behind him.

She could see something in the distance, coming towards them. Kono place her eye against the scope of her rifle, and the silhouette of a shirtless Steve and a beaten Danny came into view. The blond hair and short stature were the only things that helped her identify the detective.

The team ran faster, closing in on the partners.

"Steve!" Kono yelled. Kono rushed towards Steve like an angel with a gun. She looked lethal and beautiful, a sight of safety and family. She grabbed onto Danny, and Steve tried again to raise his partner back to consciousness. It was useless.

"There is a man just a little ways back. He should still be unconscious, but he is to be brought to HQ for questioning," Steve ordered two officers who took off in the direction he had just come from.

They moved quickly back towards the two waiting choppers. A stretcher was already waiting, and two nurses rushed towards the group.

Steve felt cold and alone as Danny was moved away from him and onto the stretcher. One nurse checked for a pulse while the other took over holding pressure to the fresh wound.

"We need to get a transfusion in him now!" The taller nurse yelled.

"We are about thirty minutes out of Tripler! We won't make it in time," The pilot bellowed back to the medics with frightening certainty.

Steve jumped into the chopper beside Danny, and held his bare arm out to the nurse.

"Take mine. We are the same blood type," He demanded. Steve gave the man a look that told him he would do it himself if they didn't stick the needle in him now.

"Fine, but we can only take a pint. That should be enough to keep him stable until we make it to Tripler." The chopper left the ground with Kono flush against Steve who sat beside Danny's head.

Steve placed one hand on Danny's bloodied head while the medic took the other. The alcohol swabbed his skin followed by the prick of a large needle. Steve felt nothing though as he watched the rise and fall of his partner's chest.

Steve's blood ran down the tube and into Danny. Kono's hand gripped his knee as they both watched the medics work on their teammate.

Danny had to pull through this; Kono wasn't sure Steve would survive if he didn't. She wasn't sure if any of them would.


	12. Chapter 12

Steve watched Danny's chest rise and fall as the helicopter descended at the hospital. The medics were calling demands to the waiting doctors as they reached in and pulled the stretcher out. He was detached from his partner when Kono pulled him out of the doctors' way.

Steve couldn't comprehend all that they were saying between the dizziness and nausea he was feeling. The pint of blood they had taken from him would not have usually had such an effect, but the lack of food and water in his body caused the procedure to pull every ounce of energy and life out of him.

The only thing he seemed to be able to focus on was Danny's chest. He counted each second between breaths as the medics detached the equipment from the chopper, passing it to the emergency doctors. He counted to ten, waiting on Danny's chest to rise again.

Eleven, a doctor pulled a blood pressure cup around Danny's arm. Twelve, another doctor placed an oxygen mask over his nose and mouth. Thirteen, still no rise. Fourteen, the doctors were yelling now. Fifteen, the medic from the chopper jumped onto the stretcher straddling the detective. Sixteen, he began compressions on Danny. Seventeen, Steve yelled his partner's name as he tried following the stretcher.

Kono stopped him, placing both of her hands on his chest. She was speaking, but all Steve could focus on were the doors to the hospital shutting, closing him off from his partner.

Dizziness washed over him as Kono's face blurred in front of him, the events finally catching up to him. His adrenaline was crashing now, and he closed his eyes to steady himself. He heard Kono yell, but couldn't bring himself to open his eyes again. Finally, the darkness overpowered him, and he gave into it.

Steve could hear hushed whispers as he drifted between sleep and consciousness. He tried forcing his eyes open, but exhaustion kept pulling him back under. This happened three times before finally, Steve opened his eyes, cringing in response to the bright lights.

He instantly knew he was in a hospital bed. An IV was placed in his left arm, and his right arm was in a sling. He must have made a sound because suddenly Kono's face was hovering over him.

"Hey, boss. Welcome back." There was relief and concern etched in her tone. Steve swept his eyes around the room not finding Chin or Danny around. 'Danny,' He thought, and his heart began to beat faster with fear overwhelming him.

"Hey, hey. You have to stay calm. The fluids are rehydrating you, and they gave you something for the pain in your shoulder. You'll be as good as new in no time," Kono reassured him.

"Danny." His voice sounded rough from the dehydration, but he didn't care.

"Danny's still in surgery. You've been out for about four hours. He sustained a good deal of trauma, so it's touch and go," Kono informed him with fear and apprehension.

"And Chin? He made it back, right?" Steve asked wondering where his other teammate was.

"He's okay. He was given fluids when he returned, and he's with Rachel, Grace, Stan and the baby back at HQ. He's keeping them there and comfortable until Danny's out of surgery."

"They got Ron's partner, right?" Steve had to know that justice would be done for Danny and Grace.

"He's currently being held in interrogation at HQ. Chin and I are letting him stir for a while before we take a crack at him. He's not going to get off easy, boss." Steve had no doubt that Kono and Chin would give the guy hell, and for that he was eternally grateful.

"I wanted to kill him, Kono. He had Danny, choking him under this pool of water in an alcove. If I.. If I had gotten there just a few minutes later…" His voice wavered, his vision blurring with tears.

"You got there in time though. You got Danny out of there, and he's going to be okay. He has to be." Kono's hand wrapped around Steve's giving him reassurance and comfort. He couldn't get the images of Danny almost dying out of his head. He had taken a bullet for Steve, and Steve refused to believe Danny would die because of it.

"He saved me, too," Steve whispered. Kono just nodded, knowing that the only person that could make this better was currently on an operating table.

A knock sounded at the door, and Steve and Kono tensed as a doctor in scrubs entered.

"Officer Kalakaua and Commander McGarrett, I'm Dr. Malawi. I understand that you, Mr. McGarrett, are listed as Detective William's emergency contact which allows me to divulge his medical information to you," Dr. Malawi informed, and Steve nodded.

"Detective Williams had a complicated surgery, but he pulled through. He did flatline twice while on the table, and we will have to wait until he wakes to see if there is any damage from oxygen deprivation." Steve felt like he couldn't breath as the image of the medic climbing on top of Danny came rushing back to him.

"Detective Williams will need to return to physical therapy on his knee again as well as begin therapy on his shoulder. We were lucky that the infection hadn't spread to his heart. Commander, I believe you are the one to thank for that. Your blood may have saved your partner's life." Steve just nodded. He didn't care for recognition or gratitude. He would have done anything to save Danny.

"The gunshot to the side is where it gets a little more complicated. It was a through and through shot, but nicked a kidney in the process. We tried to salvage the kidney, but the only way to get his body to begin recovering was to remove the kidney entirely." Steve couldn't believe what he was hearing. The bullet meant for him had not only almost killed Danny with blood loss, but it cost him an organ.

"Now, people can live very long healthy lives with just one kidney. It's a small price to pay to still have your partner," Dr. Malawi informed Steve, sensing the blame that the Commander was placing on himself.

"The head trauma is what worries us the most." Steve and Kono's breath caught at the mention of head trauma. Kono's grip tightened around Steve's hand. The doctor's tone was grim as he continued.

"We ran a CT scan before operating and found a small bleed in the brain. It was small enough that we could operate without imminent danger, but we are running another scan in the next hour to see if the bleed has worsened. If it has, then we will have no choice but to put Detective Williams in a medically induced coma." Steve couldn't breath, couldn't process the idea of Danny never waking up again. A coma was too quiet, too still for someone as full of life and personality as Daniel Williams.

"The coma would last for as long as the bleeding takes to subside. The brain will know when it is healing, at which point Detective Williams would hopefully wake up."

Steve picked up on the doctor's choice of words.

"Hopefully? What the hell does 'hopefully' mean?" Steve knew he was beginning to yell, but there was no way in hell he was going to let Danny not wake up.

"Where is he? I want to see my partner, now." Steve demanded, yanking on the IV in his arm. Kono reached for him, but he was moving too quickly. His bare feet were on the cold floor, and he was moving before anyone could stop him. He rushed past the doctor, not caring that he had no idea where he was going.

Kono called for him, but he didn't stop; He couldn't stop. He had to find Danny, and he had to see his blue eyes open again. Steve found a nurses' station as the nurses turned to look at him. He was momentarily thankful that someone was kind enough to leave his boxers on when putting him in the hospital gown.

"Where is Detective Daniel Williams?" Steve pressed in a voice so frightening that Kono stiffened beside him. She was worried of what her boss may do if they weren't taken to Danny soon.

The nurse in front of them began typing on her computer as a frazzled Dr. Malawi finally approached them.

"Commander, your partner is currently being taken for a CT scan. If you will come with me, I can take you to where he will be taken after the scan is completed," Dr. Malawi carefully stated.

"Well, why didn't you say that to begin with?" Steve snapped before waving his good arm in front of him, signaling for the doctor to lead the way.

They arrived at a private room a few minutes later, and Steve took up pacing the floor continuously.

"You aren't going to do anyone any good if you pass out again, boss." Steve looked up from his pacing to find Kono eyeing him warily. He knew there was truth to her words, and so he forced himself to seat in the chair by where the bed should be.

Silence engulfed the room as the ticking of the clock echoed throughout. Steve counted every second and every breath, waiting on his partner to be brought back to him.

Finally, a bed was being pushed into the room with a still figure lying under its covers. Steve couldn't take his eyes off of Danny's pale face. The doctors locked the bed in place, and Steve was instantly by his partner's side. They sported matching slings, but Danny also had a cast on the arm placed in the sling.

Dr. Malawi entered and cleared his throat, pulling Steve's attention from Danny's still face to the doctor's grim one.

"Commander, we reviewed the scan of Detective Williams' brain, and unfortunately we have placed him in a coma as the bleeding has progressed. We will continue monitoring him closely, but now it is all up to your partner." Steve's throat tightened as he turned back toward Danny. A silent tear slipped down his face as Kono placed her hand on Steve's shoulder.

"He's strong, boss. He will pull through this," She reassured him, but there was a waver in her voice that made it seem uncertain.

"I have seen people return from much worse, Commander. That is in no way an attempt at making light of your partner's situation, but you should know that there is hope."

"As long as I have Danny, there will always be hope," Steve admitted. The doctor nodded before leaving the three Five-0 members alone.

"I'm going to go call Chin and inform him and Rachel of everything," Kono said before exiting the room.

Steve finally allowed his composure to break as he ran his hand through Danny's hair.

"Danno, please. You have to come back. You have to be here for Grace and for Five-0. You have to—" Steve let out a choked sob. "You have to come back to me, Danny."

Steve leaned his wet face against Danny's as he breathed him in. He let his cries escape, no longer caring who might see him as weak. He moved his head to Danny's chest and counted each rise and fall. Eventually he closed his eyes and let himself be lulled to sleep by the beating of his partner's heart


End file.
